He added that Plaid Cymru wants to establish a not-for-distributable-profit company, Energy Wales, to buy gas and electricity on the wholesale market and pass on savings to consumers and invest in services. The party also wants a windfall tax on energy companies and the full devolution of energy policy to Wales.
Mr Williams said: "While we welcome the opportunity to scrutinise the energy market - a major driving force of the cost of living crisis - it is disappointing to see that the Labour party proposals are lacking teeth. An energy price freeze is just a short-term answer to a long-term problem. Unless market failure is tackled head on, nothing will change and thousands more people will die during the winter months. It is particularly worrying that this price freeze would not apply to off-grid areas in Wales. Plaid Cymru has put forward practical proposals that would end the 'Big Six' fix and transform the energy market in our nation."
Continuing Mr Williams said: "Energy Wales - a not-for-distributable-profit-company - would buy gas and electricity on the wholesale market, passing on savings to consumers and investing in services. We would also introduce a windfall tax on energy companies, to be invested in energy saving and sustainable energy projects, and the full devolution of energy policy to Wales so that we can sustainably exploit our natural resources for the benefit of our people. Plaid Cymru isn't interested in a sticking-plaster solution. We want to smash the energy cartel and offer a genuine alternative that doesn't risk longer-term higher prices for the sake of short-term populism."
Plaid Cymru did table an amendment to Labour's motion but it was not selected by the Speaker.
