Asked by: David Mundell (Conservative - Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of zonal energy pricing in Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale constituency on household energy bills.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Through the Review of Electricity Market Arrangements (REMA), the government is continuing to assess options for strengthening locational and operational signals in the electricity market. This includes measures which could be implemented under national pricing, as well as a zonal pricing option.
Zonal pricing has the potential to deliver large consumer benefits by creating a more efficient energy system. It would result in a smaller, more efficient power system reducing the need for new power stations and lower the amount of new network that needs to be built.
However, we recognise that implementing zonal could also create uncertainty for investors. We are considering the balance between potential consumer and system benefits from enabling greater demand-side flexibility, potential distributional impacts, and the future trajectory of network charging which already introduces regional variations in consumer bills.
Asked by: David Mundell (Conservative - Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many households in Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale constituency remain dependent on the Radio Teleswitch Service for their energy meter connections.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department does not hold constituency level data on remaining RTS meters, but we are regularly engaging with energy suppliers, Ofgem and the industry body Energy UK to review local plans for the switch-off.
Energy suppliers have contacted all premises with RTS meters and Ofgem is encouraging customers to book an appointment to ensure they are provided with a replacement meter ahead of the switch-off.