Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if he will estimate the expenditure made to date by the developers of offshore wind projects which have received consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 which he expects to be unsuccessful in the contracts for difference process.

The National Grid, as the Electricity Market Reform Delivery Body, are currently assessing applications for Contracts for Difference under the first Contract for Difference allocation round. Under the strictures of the process the Department does not know, at this point of time, information about individual applications, numbers of applications or numbers that have qualified. As a result the Department is unable to speculate on any applications for offshore wind projects likely to be unsuccessful in the contracts for difference process under our Electricity Market Reform project. In addition, any unsuccessful applicants, should there be any, would have the opportunity to apply for support in future rounds.