Electricity Supply: Decarbonisation

Baroness Howarth of Breckland Excerpts

Monday 15th June 2015 Lords Chamber

[Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth]

My Lords, as I have already said, it is vital that we deliver on the nuclear agenda, and Hinkley C is part of that agenda. We are convinced that the price mechanisms will deliver that, and thereafter the other reactors that are queued up, such as Sizewell. Obviously, we remain open to looking at other nuclear technology, but at the moment the aim is to ensure that we, together with EDF, deliver on Hinkley Point C.

[Baroness Howarth of Breckland (CB)]

My Lords, does the Minister agree that efficiency is equally important in order to meet the targets? What is happening with the European electricity grid and developing a strategy right across Europe to share electricity at a better price?

[Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth]

I thank the noble Baroness for that question. I had the opportunity to visit the national grid and see how the interconnectors work; in fact, they proved vital when we were there, as we noticed, so that is an important part of it. Further interconnectors are coming online to Norway and to France, and they are certainly part of the Government’s energy supply mix.