Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what Ofgem’s original policy limit was for Early Construction Funding as a proportion of total project cost, and what steps they are taking to ensure this limit is enforced.

Early Construction Funding (ECF) is a regulatory mechanism established by Ofgem which allows network companies to access a limited proportion of approved project funding before all statutory consents have been secured. Under Ofgem's Accelerated Strategic Transmission Investment (ASTI) guidance, the normal limit for ECF is 20 per cent of project licence costs, although higher levels may be considered by Ofgem in exceptional circumstances. Decisions on the award of ECF are a matter for Ofgem as the independent energy regulator.