Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to accelerate grid upgrades to support energy security and industrial investment.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The electricity network companies are responsible for building, owning and operating the grid, and Government is working with them, Ofgem and the National Energy System Operator to accelerate the delivery of critical network infrastructure and reform the grid connections process to support energy security and industrial investment.
Grid expansion will be a critical enabler for both the government’s Clean Energy Superpower and Growth missions.
The recent interim publication of the Electricity Networks Sector Growth Plan by industry and Government demonstrates the positive impact network expansion will have specifically in the electricity networks supply chain.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what the estimated total cost of the National Grid's Eryri Visual Impact Provision is; and by what date it will be completed.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government does not hold a specific estimate for the total cost or completion date of National Grid’s Eryri project. Responsibility for delivery and associated costs rests with National Grid under Ofgem’s regulatory framework.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what standards of forest sustainability are required of Drax for the supply of electricity to (a) private data centres and (b) the National Grid.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Drax must ensure its power generation complies with the terms of its subsidy agreements, currently provided for by the Renewables Obligation (RO) and Contract for Difference (CfD) schemes. These agreements include wide-ranging environmental protections addressing biodiversity, greenhouse gas emissions, legal and sustainable harvesting, and maintaining forest productivity, and require at least 70% of woody biomass to be sustainably sourced.
From 2027 these arrangements will be replaced by the new Low-Carbon Dispatchable CfD. This will require all of Drax’s generation to comply with strengthened sustainability standards, including an obligation to ensure that 100% of biomass used is sustainably sourced. We have also tightened the standard of supply chain greenhouse gas emissions and excluded primary feedstocks sourced from primary and old growth forests from receiving support payments.
Asked by: Gareth Davies (Conservative - Grantham and Bourne)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether the time taken to publish the Steel Strategy will impact the commencement of grid connection upgrades required for the transition to electric arc furnace production.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is committed to supporting the UK steel sector. Our decisive legislative intervention at British Steel has secured UK manufactured steel for nationally important projects like airports and rail and supported jobs and national security.
We also remain committed to delivering a steel strategy in early 2026. The strategy will set out a long-term vision for a bright and sustainable steel sector in the UK and the actions needed to get there. Ministers and officials continue to engage closely with industry, trade unions and the Devolved Governments to ensure the final strategy delivers for businesses, steelworkers and the wider UK economy.
We do not anticipate any adverse impacts on British Steel or the availability of credit insurance for SMEs in the steel supply chain arising from the revised publication timing.
Asked by: Llinos Medi (Plaid Cymru - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what impact has the decision to designate two AI Growth Zones in Wales had on NESO’s plans for improving grid connections in both (a) north Wales and (b) south Wales.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Both sites had grid connections being realised before 2030, so are already accounted for in NESO’s planning.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what his planned timeline is for rolling out the Connections Accelerator Service.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As set out in the Government’s Industrial Strategy, the Connections Accelerator Service will be operational by the end of 2025.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to support the provision of onshore power supply for ports across the UK, including in Northern Ireland, in relation to onshore power supply for ferries and cruise ships.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Responsibility for electricity policy is transferred to the Northern Ireland Assembly under the provisions of the Northern Ireland Act 1998. However, on 25 March, Government published the Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy and launched a call for evidence on Net Zero Ports, focusing on future energy demand and shore power. We are considering responses to the call for evidence.
In Great Britain, Government is working with Ofgem and the National Energy System Operator on reforms to accelerate grid connections, alongside using new powers in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill to accelerate strategic demand projects. These steps should support power deployment for ports.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions her Department has had with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on prioritising access to the national grid for port electrification to support ports who wish to offer onshore power supply connection to cruise line customers.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Reforming the connections process and investing in the grid is a key Government priority. This includes reforms that are expected to deprioritise over half of the existing queue based on readiness and strategic alignment with our strategy as set out in Clean Power 2030.
Department for Transport ministers and officials meet regularly with their counterparts in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. These include discussions on the significance of getting sufficient grid capacity to electrify ports, for cruise and ferries to use shore power and policy options to accelerate connection dates for strategic demand customers, such as critical port sites. This is informed by the Department for Transport call for evidence on Net Zero Ports, published in March 2025, which posed questions on managing future energy demand at ports.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to support ports wishing to offer onshore power supply connections to cruise line customers.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
On 25 March, the Government published the Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy and a call for evidence on Net Zero Ports. This call for evidence focused on potential options to reduce emissions from vessels at berth and how ports are managing their future energy demand, including the provision of shore power to customers such as cruise operators. We are considering the responses to the call for evidence and will set out next steps in due course.
In September, we announced an additional £448m of Research and Development investment for the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) programme. Through previous rounds of UK SHORE funding, we have already funded shore power projects, including nearly £20m for a shore power installation at Portsmouth International Port, which will soon allow visiting cruise ships to connect. Future rounds of funding will continue to support clean maritime solutions.
Given the importance of securing grid connections to providing shore power, the Government is working closely with Ofgem and the National Energy System Operator on fundamental reforms to the connections process, which will reduce the connections queue and prioritise progressing viable projects.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on prioritising access to the national grid for port electrification, including in relation to onshore power supply for ferries and cruise ships.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Reforming the connections process and investing in the grid is a key Government priority. This includes reforms that are expected to deprioritise over half of the existing queue based on readiness and strategic alignment with our strategy as set out in Clean Power 2030.
Department for Transport Ministers and officials meet regularly with their counterparts in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. These include discussions on the significance of getting sufficient grid capacity to electrify ports, for cruise and ferries to use shore power and policy options to accelerate connection dates for strategic demand customers, such as critical port sites. This is informed by the Department for Transport call for evidence on Net Zero Ports, published in March 2025, which posed questions on managing future energy demand at ports.