Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential for empowering local authorities to assess flexibility and microgrid opportunities before pursuing network buildout, in the context of the recommendations in the ADE: Demand report entitled Powered by People, Powered by Place.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government has noted the Association for Decentralised Energy's report, Powered by People, Powered by Place, and recognises the importance of local evidence in identifying flexibility and other opportunities before network investment decisions are made.
The Regional Energy Strategic Plans (RESPs) methodology, being developed by the National Energy System Operator, proposes bringing together local authorities and stakeholders to help provide a whole-energy and bottom-up view of how local energy systems need to evolve to meet local and national priorities. Distribution Network Operators would remain responsible for detailed network planning, including flexibility, microgrid opportunities and network investment, informed by RESP outputs.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
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 increase grid capacity to enable a reduction in wind curtailment.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The current extent of grid constraints reflects years of underinvestment, with new network infrastructure development having lagged the expansion of new generation. That is why we are delivering the biggest upgrade to Great Britain’s electricity network in decades, helping bring forward capacity needed to reduce constraint costs. NESO analysis suggests that bringing forward three major transmission reinforcement projects by one year could reduce network constraint costs by around £4 billion in 2030.
Measures set out in the Reformed National Pricing Delivery Plan will further reduce constraint costs by up to £1 billion in 2030, helping lower household energy bills.
Asked by: Claire Hazelgrove (Labour - Filton and Bradley Stoke)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that new housing and major development schemes contribute to meeting net zero targets, including through energy efficiency, sustainable construction methods, low-carbon infrastructure and integrated transport planning.
Answered by Samantha Dixon
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has responsibility for the Building Regulations, construction product reform, and planning.
The Government published an update to the energy efficiency standards in the Building Regulations, the Future Homes Standard (FHS), on 24 March 2026. New homes built to these new standards will be zero carbon ready, meaning they will become zero carbon once the national grid is fully decarbonised and will require no further retrofitting to meet net zero.
The Government has also committed to reducing waste by moving to a circular economy and making significant reductions in carbon emissions. For construction products, this includes increasing reuse and recycling of products, choosing more sustainable products, and improving information about environmental performance.
We recently consulted on a new National Planning Policy Framework, including proposals relating to renewable and low carbon energy. We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in the summer.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of current electricity grid capacity to meet projected demand by 2035.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The National Energy System Operator (NESO) conducts independent modelling of future electricity demand and supply and strategic planning of the transmission network.
NESO’s Future Energy Scenarios (FES) provide a range of credible pathways for Great Britain's energy system to 2050. This informs strategic electricity network planning by assessing future demand, generation, storage and flexibility requirements.1
NESO’s Beyond 2030 Update report (published 30th June), draws on the FES, and sets out the network infrastructure needed through the 2030s.2
NESO’s assessment indicates that demand can be met through timely delivery of recommended network infrastructure to enable generation planned for the 2030s.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
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 private capital investment in grid infrastructure.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Ofgem regulates network companies to ensure efficient investment in maintaining and upgrading electricity infrastructure.
The Department works with Ofgem to ensure the regulatory framework supports timely electricity network investment. Ofgem’s RIIO price control framework provides long‑term certainty through funding allowances and incentives that give investors’ confidence to finance major infrastructure.
The latest electricity transmission framework, RIIO‑ET3, combines upfront funding with flexible mechanisms to scale investment as needs evolve, alongside earlier approvals, strengthened delivery incentives and provisions to bring forward funding for critical projects, supporting private investment while protecting consumers. Similar mechanisms are in place for electricity distribution as well.
Asked by: Iqbal Mohamed (Independent - Dewsbury and Batley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with Ofgem on wind farms and the practice of curtailment, in the context of the current price of electricity.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The current extent of grid constraints reflects years of underinvestment, with new network infrastructure development having lagged the expansion of new generation.
That’s why this Government is delivering the biggest upgrade in Great Britain’s electricity network in decades.
Alongside this, in April the Government set out it’s Reformed National Pricing Delivery plan, which outlines a number of measures the Government is taking to improve system efficiency and reduce the costs associated with network constraints. We are working closely with Ofgem and NESO to deliver these actions.
Asked by: Iqbal Mohamed (Independent - Dewsbury and Batley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has reviewed curtailment policy in the context of the conflict in the Middle East.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The current extent of grid constraints reflects years of underinvestment, with new network infrastructure development having lagged the expansion of new generation.
That’s why this Government is delivering the biggest upgrade in Great Britain’s electricity network in decades.
Alongside this, in April the Government set out it’s Reformed National Pricing Delivery plan, which outlines a number of measures the Government is taking to improve system efficiency and reduce the costs associated with network constraints. We are working closely with Ofgem and NESO to deliver these actions.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what estimate she has made of the electricity demand associated with the implementation of the UK AI Hardware Plan; what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on the implications for grid capacity; and whether additional energy infrastructure projects will be required.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Technology)
The Department meets regularly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero at every level. Through the AI Energy Council, Government also assesses system‑wide impacts, promotes energy efficiency and clean power solutions, and ensures that growth in AI compute supports economic growth without undermining energy security or climate objectives.
While individual elements of the AI Hardware Plan will have direct energy consumption implications, the Plan as a whole aims to anchor a growing share of high-value AI hardware activity and industrial capability in the UK. While AI creates significant energy demand, the Plan will promote the commercialisation and deployment of more energy efficiency AI hardware.
In regards to specific elements such as the new national AI supercomputer, estimates are ongoing and dependent on a number of factors such as the energy efficiency of novel AI inference chips, which promise to significantly reduce the energy consumption of the hardware used.
Asked by: Liam Conlon (Labour - Beckenham and Penge)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the potential of behind-the-meter self-generation, on-site storage, and private wire arrangements at data centre and AI campuses to alleviate projected grid power shortfalls.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Technology)
DSIT is working closely with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Ofgem, and the National Energy System Operator to ensure that any policy interventions support both the timely connection of strategically important projects and the development of low-carbon power supply.
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many data centre projects in Scotland are currently seeking electricity grid connections; and what potential aggregate capacity in gigawatts those applications represent.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
National Energy System Operator shows around 72.8 GW of capacity allocated to data centres in the GB connection queue across transmission and distribution. It is not currently possible to provide a specific figure for data centre projects in Scotland.
Government recently consulted on measures to manage oversubscription of data centre connections and will publish its response in due course.