Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Jo Stevens and Bill Esterson(3 days, 11 hours ago)
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Bill Esterson
The Secretary of State quite rightly mentioned the jobs and growth that will result from the projects at Awel y Môr and Erebus in the Celtic sea, but the price in auction round 7 was 40% lower than the equivalent for new gas-fired power stations, and Putin’s latest remarks have reminded us of the volatility of the gas price. Does she agree that Welsh consumers will benefit from cheaper bills, and that the projects will give us greater security, as well as the benefits she outlined earlier?
Jo Stevens
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. This was the most successful auction round in European history, as I have mentioned. Awel y Môr is the first offshore wind project in Wales to win a contract in over a decade, and Erebus will be Wales’s first floating offshore wind farm. These projects will power almost 1 million homes and bring £2.6 billion of investment to Welsh coastal and industrial communities, but as he says, and most importantly, they will create thousands of jobs and bring down bills as we produce more, cheaper clean energy and gain our energy independence.
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Jo Stevens and Bill Esterson(1 year, 4 months ago)
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Jo Stevens
I congratulate my hon. Friend on winning her seat. The Government have a clear mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower by investing in home-grown energy to grow the economy, create jobs, boost skills and strengthen our energy independence. In Wales, we have the resources and skills to be a leader in cutting-edge energy technologies, creating high-quality jobs right across the country, including in north Wales. It would be a pleasure to visit Creating Enterprise with my hon. Friend.
Bill Esterson
My right hon. Friend mentioned the exciting opportunities from offshore wind for the people and economy of Wales. Can she tell the House about the discussions that she and her Cabinet colleagues have had with the Crown Estate about maximising the benefits from those opportunities?
Jo Stevens
We believe that the new innovative partnership between Great British Energy and the Crown Estate will leverage up to £60 billion of private investment into the UK’s drive for energy independence. I am delighted that the Crown Estate has today published plans to bring an additional 20 GW to 30 GW of offshore wind to market by 2030. That is excellent news for Wales’s clean energy ambitions, particularly for floating offshore wind in the Celtic sea. I recently met the Energy Secretary, and separately the Crown Estate, to discuss how this new industry can deliver jobs and growth across Wales.