The Daily Are Higher Energy Prices Here to Stay?
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Mar 25, 2026 
Patricia Cohen, a New York Times global economics correspondent, tracks how war is rattling energy markets. She explores strikes on Qatar’s gas facilities, why LNG losses could last for years, and how shortages ripple into electricity, food, inflation, interest rates, and even AI data centers. She also looks at why quick fixes may be scarce.
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Qatar Strikes Turned A Shipping Shock Into A Supply Shock
- The war shifted from a transit disruption at the Strait of Hormuz to long-term damage after attacks hit gas infrastructure in Iran and Qatar.
- Patricia Cohen says Iran damaged two LNG trains at Ras Laffan, wiping out nearly 20 percent of Qatar’s LNG production capacity for years.
Why LNG Damage Reaches Far Beyond Gas Markets
- LNG matters because many countries use it to generate large shares of electricity after moving away from dirtier coal and some nuclear power.
- Japan gets 30 percent of its electricity from LNG, Korea 25 percent, while fertilizer, helium, and naphtha shortages threaten food, chips, and plastics.
How The Energy Shock Is Changing Daily Life
- The shortage is already forcing governments to ration energy and change daily life, especially in poorer Asian economies.
- Patricia Cohen cites school and office closures in Sri Lanka and Pakistan, Thailand telling workers to take stairs, and Britain’s gas prices jumping 40 percent.