Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether she is taking steps to secure private investment to develop an offshore energy grid in the East of England.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Reinforcement of the electricity network is being delivered through a range of approaches, including upgrades to existing infrastructure, building innovative offshore transmission routes, undergrounded new cabling in protected areas and, where necessary building new overhead lines. Ofgem’s regulatory frameworks are designed to encourage anticipatory investment into the grid whether on or offshore and, through the Energy Act 2023, we enabled competitions in electricity networks, opening this market to new parties for the first time.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether she plans to approve future sites for offshore wind farms in the North Sea.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Applications for development consent for offshore wind projects under the Planning Act 2008 progress through an Examination process by the Planning Inspectorate and will result in the final decision taken by my Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero. Due to the Secretary of State’s quasi-judicial role in taking such decisions it would not be appropriate to comment further. The Scottish Ministers also have executively devolved powers in relation to applications for consent under s.36 of the Electricity Act 1989 throughout Scotland’s entire marine region (inshore and offshore).
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to page 61 of the Autumn Statement 2023 and page 64 of the connections action plan, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of including in the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP) (a) the development of an offshore grid covering offshore wind farms off the coast of the East of England and (b) a reassessment of proposals from National Grid for the Norwich to Tilbury Great Grid Upgrade.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Strategic Spatial Energy Plan will determine the optimal scale and location of energy infrastructure needed to transition to homegrown energy. This will inform the delivery of the Central Strategic Network Plan, which will consider what network and other infrastructure is needed to link new energy generation with end users.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to (a) page 61 of the Autumn Statement 2023 and (b) the connections action plan, when she plans to publish eligibility criteria for community benefits.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
On 22 November, the Government published its community benefits for transmission network infrastructure government response. Within this we confirmed our intention for eligibility for wider community benefits to be agreed on a project-by-project basis. For electricity bill discounts, we will work up further proposals on eligibility, including on proximity, and will provide an update in 2024.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will publish the number of planning applications for offshore wind farms that (a) have been approved and (b) are under consideration since 2010 broken down by (i) location and (ii) amount of new electricity that will be generated.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero publishes full details, including the capacity, location, and development status of Offshore Wind projects, in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (REPD). Updated following the end of each quarter, an extract from the October 2023 version can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/renewable-energy-planning-database-monthly-extract
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the press release entitled Communities at the heart of new fund to boost local growth and energy security, published by her Department on 11 August 2023, when she plans to open the community energy fund for applications.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The new £10m Community Energy Fund will enable rural and urban communities across England to access grant funding to develop local renewable energy projects for investment, supporting local growth and enabling places directly to benefit from clean, locally owned energy. The Government is aiming to launch applications to the Community Energy Fund as soon as possible.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate she has made of how much new energy generation from offshore wind farms due to connect to the Norwich substation has (a) consent, (b) an application under consideration and (c) an application pending.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO) is responsible for ensuring the electricity system is operated safely, reliably and efficiently and for managing the electricity market. The ESO sets out the high-level design for the necessary transmission through independent, evidenced based assessment of generation connection. Ofgem, the regulator has ultimate oversight to ensure regulated monopoly companies are performing their duties as we expect them to.
The Department cannot comment on specific issues regarding a proposed infrastructure project to avoid prejudicing any ultimate planning decision. Information about past, current and pending planning consents for projects can be found on the Planning Inspectorate website at https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate she has made of how much new energy generation from offshore wind farms the transmission network between Norwich and Tilbury can sustain.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO) is responsible for ensuring the electricity system is operated safely, reliably and efficiently and for managing the electricity market. The ESO sets out the high-level design for the necessary transmission through independent, evidenced based assessment. National Grid Electricity Transmission, as the transmission owner for England and Wales, are responsible for the development of that proposed project. NGET recently published further information on their website related to this matter as part of their latest consultation.
Given the Secretary of State’s role as the decision-taker in the consenting process for nationally significant infrastructure, the Department cannot comment on specific issues regarding a proposed infrastructure project to avoid prejudicing future planning decisions.