Energy: Electricity Supply

Lord Howell of Guildford Excerpts

Monday 29th July 2013 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Verma]

My Lords, the noble Lord is right that we need to make some secure decisions. That is why, through the Energy Bill, we are reforming the electricity market and also making sure that we have a greater diversity in the supply of energy. A key part of balancing the service is the short-term operating reserve that we already have. The National Grid aims to have around 1,800 megawatts of this reserve available every day across a number of contracts, so I can reassure the noble Lord that the lights will stay on.

[Lord Howell of Guildford]

My Lords, is the Minister aware that in Germany, CO₂ emissions are rising very fast, they are burning more coal than ever, their solar industry has collapsed, and, of course, that they have banned any expansion or indeed any use of their nuclear power stations? Does she agree that that is not exactly an example that we want to follow? Is not the right course for us, as she herself has steadfastly urged, to get on and invest as fast as possible in new gas turbines and, in due course, when we can afford it, in new nuclear power?

[Baroness Verma]

I agree with my noble friend absolutely that we do not want to be a country that will increase CO₂ emissions and that the path we have taken is a balanced one.