BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Leaders of European Union countries will discuss surging energy prices when they meet next month, as governments scramble to cushion households from the soaring cost of gas and power. Benchmark European gas prices have rocketed by more than 300% this year due to factors including low storage levels, outages and high demand as economies recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, dragging up wholesale electricity costs. Leaders from the EU's 27 member countries will discuss the surging prices when they next meet on Oct. 21-22, according to a draft agenda for the summit, seen by Reuters. "The European Council will discuss the recent hike in energy prices," the draft said. EU countries are responsible for their national energy policies, and some governments have already intervened.
