We are living in strange times.

From the BBC

Ministers prepare for worst in gas price crisis


"BBC has been told that ministers believe the current system for managing the failure of energy companies, which allows companies to recoup losses through an industry-wide levy, is working satisfactorily, even though it will add costs to millions of customers' bills.

Our business editor says ministers do accept that the existing system of reallocating customers would not work if one of the bigger challenger firms went bust.

In that case, the government has the power to appoint a special administrator, in what would be a quasi-temporary nationalisation."