Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to ensure that National Grid is taking improved action to regularly maintain infrastructure networks.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The maintenance of our electricity network is critical to deliver clean, secure power to homes and businesses across the country. Electricity network operators are private companies which build, own, operate, and maintain electricity network infrastructure. As regional monopolies, they are regulated by the independent energy regulator, Ofgem. Transmission owners and Distribution Network Operators are required by Ofgem’s license conditions to ensure the maintenance of an efficient, economic, and coordinated system of electricity transmission and distribution respectively.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what progress National Grid Electricity Transmission have made on (a) proposals to connect the transmission grid in north Wales to the south and (b) agreements with generators on connection contracts.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As a private transmission owner National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) develops project proposals in England and Wales where a transmission need is identified by the National Energy System Operator (NESO). In all proposals evidence demonstrating due consideration of alternative options is required. In this case proposals remain in early development.
NESO submitted proposals to Ofgem to reorder the connection queue, which would impact on generator connection agreements. Ofgem is expected to announce its decision in March.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many properties are not connected to the national (a) gas and (b) electricity grid in Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe constituency.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department publishes estimates of the number of domestic properties not connected to the gas network in Great Britain by constituency. In 2023, an estimated 19,000 domestic properties (41%) in Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe constituency were not connected to the gas network. Equivalent figures for the electricity network are not published.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether ETSU-R-97 is (a) the only framework methodology used for the assessment of onshore wind turbines and (b) the most (i) effective and (ii) up to date guidance; what assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes in the size of wind turbines on the effectiveness of ETSU-R-97; and if he will review the ETSU-R-97 guidance.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
ETSU-R-97 is the primary guidance used for the assessment of noise from onshore wind turbines across the UK. Government has contracted an external consultancy to update ETSU-R-97 following a 2023 scoping review which recommended targeted updates to ensure the guidance is in line with contemporary evidence and policy, and suitable for modern turbines. Government aims to publish the updated guidance in Spring 2025.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to review the noise limits for onshore wind turbines defined in the ETSU-R-97 guidance, in the context of (a) advancements in onshore wind turbine technology and (b) evidence of the potential impact of wind turbine noise.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is committed to ensuring that decision makers have access to the best guidance, enabling onshore wind to be built whilst also balancing potential impacts.
The Government has concluded that the ETSU-R-97 guidance should be updated to bring it into line with the most up to date evidence and policy. We aim to publish the updated ETSU-R-97 guidance in Spring 2025. In the meantime, the current ETSU guidance should continue to be applied when assessing wind turbine noise.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to protect liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) customers from (a) market volatility surcharges and (b) fees to remove LPG tanks once a contract has finished.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government does not currently plan to introduce legislative proposals to protect liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) customers from market volatility surcharges or tank removal fees. But we will continue monitoring the market and industry practices to ensure that it is delivering for consumers.
The Government remains committed to ensuring a competitive market protect consumers. Existing consumer protection laws provide safeguards, including the LPG market orders administered by the Competition and Markets Authority. A guide to their operation, including who to complain to, is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/liquefied-petroleum-gas-lpg-market-orders-and-calculator.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many former British Coal employees were recipients of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme in (a) Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe constituency, (b) Neath and Swansea East constituency, (c) Aberafan Maesteg constituency, (d) Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare constituency and (e) Wales on 12 November 2024.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The number of members of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme in the constituencies and in Wales is as follows:
(a) Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe constituency - 151
(b) Neath and Swansea East constituency – 172
(c) Aberafan Maesteg constituency – 131
(d) Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare constituency - 376, and
(e) Wales – 4,048.
This information is from the scheme trustees and correct as at 30 October 2024. Some of these scheme members will not yet be in receipt of their pension, but we do not have a breakdown of that information at constituency level.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to improve the electricity grid to substation level to support the renewable energy transition.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government’s clean energy superpower and growth missions will be enabled by a significant reinforcement of our electricity network, at all levels across the high voltage transmission and lower-voltage distribution networks. This is underway and includes working with Ofgem, the National Energy System Operator and industry to halve the development time for new transmission infrastructure and to reform the grid connections process.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department provides guidance to local planning authorities on (a) assessing the potential noise impact of proposed wind turbines and (b) the consideration of potential noise impact in planning applications for (i) individual wind turbines and (ii) wind farms.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Noise from onshore wind turbines is limited and in most instances well sited onshore wind turbines will not be built in close proximity to dwellings and will therefore have minimal noise impacts. Nevertheless, we recognise that there can be exceptions to the rule, and that noise can be a concern for communities when this is the case. That is why we work closely with acoustic experts and leading scientists to ensure that planning authorities from across the UK have access to the best guidance, so that they can measure and take account of noise emissions when making decisions on onshore wind infrastructure.