EU assesses new electricity plan in wake of energy crisis

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union is working on a thorough reform of its electricity market to shield citizens from sudden price spikes, speed up the use of renewable energy sources and make the bloc more independent in an increasingly unstable world. Tuesday’s plan from the EU’s executive Commission will seek to phase out the use of gas in electricity production after volatile prices caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine pushed millions of people in the 27-nation bloc into or to the brink of poverty. It is one part of a whole package of EU measures to cushion the blow of the energy crisis that hit the EU especially last summer.