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Written Question
Energy: Meters
Monday 16th December 2024

Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber)

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will made an assessment of the potential merits of changing the Smart Energy Code licence restrictions to allow companies setting up smart meter connections for energy consumers to use the Cellular Network when the Radio Frequency Network is unavailable.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Under its licence, the Data Communication Company (DCC) is obligated to provide Wide Area Network (WAN) coverage to at least 99.5% of premises across its ‘North’ region.

DCC is currently taking forward its strategy for ongoing communications in the North and is considering a full range of technical solutions.

Once the DCC has determined its future strategy the Department will support necessary changes being made to the Smart Energy Code.


Written Question
Electricity Generation: Finance
Friday 24th March 2023

Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber)

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has plans to ensure that surplus power produced by privately owned (a) wind turbines, (b) small hydroelectric schemes and (c) other power generators is (i) fed into the National Grid and (ii) used for localised storage.

Answered by Graham Stuart

Surplus power produced by privately owned wind turbines, small hydroelectric schemes and other power generators can flow into the electricity network under the terms of the connection agreement with the network owner. The Smart Export Guarantee gives small scale low-carbon electricity generators the right to be paid for the renewable electricity they export to the grid. The Government and Ofgem are facilitating the deployment of electricity storage at all scales through the Smart Systems and Flexibility Plan.