Asked by: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what progress has been made in updating the Energy National Policy statements which have been under review since November 2021.
Answered by Graham Stuart
To enable delivery of the commitments in April’s British Energy Security Strategy, the Department has reviewed and strengthened these NPSs. This includes the EN-1 Overarching need case for energy infrastructure, EN-3 Renewable electricity infrastructure and EN-5 Electricity networks infrastructure. The review is to ensure they fully reflect the strategic importance of new energy infrastructure for delivering the UK’s energy security and affordability and to deliver on Net Zero. The importance of this has been underlined by global events in the last 12 months since the end of the previous consultation. DESNZ will re-consult on these documents.
Asked by: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
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 with Cabinet colleagues to tackle barriers around planning and consent in developing the transmission network required to support a net zero grid.
Answered by Graham Stuart
In the British Energy Security Strategy the Government committed to accelerating the delivery of electricity transmission infrastructure. The network blueprint, the Holistic Network Design for onshore-offshore transmission, will be referenced in the energy National Policy Statements (NPS) for England and Wales, supporting the needs case for transmission projects.