Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what (a) recent discussions he has had with and (b) steps he is taking with the Welsh Government on upgrading the national grid transmission network to ensure that it has the necessary capacity to transmit electricity from (i) offshore wind and other (ii) small scale community generation and large scale renewable generation projects.

The Government recently published the “Powering Up Britain” publications which reaffirm the Government's commitment to accelerating delivery of electricity network infrastructure across Great Britain, as a critical enabler for energy security and net zero. The Government will publish an action plan to accelerate network connections in the summer and will respond to networks commissioner Nick Winser’s recommendations later this year.

The Government’s January 2023 response to the Welsh Affairs Committee’s inquiry also highlights work to upgrade grid capacity in Wales, including measures specific to offshore wind such as the Holistic Network Design, where Welsh Government officials are invited to attend relevant governance forums.