Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Richard Fuller and Justin Tomlinson

Tuesday 16th April 2024 Commons Chamber

[Richard Fuller (North East Bedfordshire) (Con)]

3. If she will make an assessment of the ability of the National Grid to connect to large solar farms in (a) 2024 and (b) 2029.

[The Minister for Energy Security and Net Zero (Justin Tomlinson)]

Network companies are expected to deliver connections by the date stipulated in customer connection agreements. Reforms to accelerate the connection process and build times for transmission infrastructure will help to ensure that expectation is met.

[Richard Fuller]

May I welcome the Minister to his new responsibilities and urge him to focus on this particular issue? According to a recent report by the UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association, 44% of investors in solar power say there are problems getting interconnections with the grid. We know there are issues in the distribution network, which means that the transmission network is probably the only place that large-scale utility solar farms can connect, and people are worried that only particular parts of that network accept contracts. Will the Minister look at that in detail, because there are major concerns in my constituency that there will be connections at Eaton Socon power station, which is one of the few places where contracts are being offered?

[Justin Tomlinson]

That is absolutely understood. As set out in the spring Budget, the Government are working with Ofgem and network companies to release more network capacity and to prevent speculative projects from obtaining and retaining network capacity. That, alongside faster network infrastructure delivery, should result in more capacity across the country and help to reduce any clustering of generation projects.