(Bloomberg) --

The office of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is asking state governments to see if they can recall their parliaments to impose price caps on coal as part of an effort to lower public energy bills, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Putting limits on the cost of coal and gas would probably mean compensating producers, and state governments could lose royalty payments, the newspaper said. State parliaments have adjourned till February.

Albanese’s government has concluded it needs to intervene in the market for coal, as well as gas, in order to bring down soaring energy prices, according to the report. Albanese told reporters on Saturday that he’d announce any energy relief plan before Christmas.

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