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Written Question
National Grid: Environment Protection
Wednesday 21st February 2024

Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will have discussions with National Grid on ensuring that energy infrastructure projects comply with HM Treasury's publication entitled The Green Book, published in March 2022.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Green Book provides standard guidance for evaluating benefits and outcomes of projects. Transmission Owners follow a robust assessment process and use national guidance, primarily the National Policy Statement for Electricity Networks Infrastructure. Their proposals are subject to an independent high-level assessment of their ability to meet electricity network needs by the Electricity System Operator. Ofgem expects Transmission Owners to reference the Green Book in their submissions, but its application is not enforced and there is no requirement in the Planning Act 2008 for a Green Book assessment to be included in Development Consent Order applications.


Written Question
Electricity Interconnectors: Costs
Thursday 25th January 2024

Asked by: Thérèse Coffey (Conservative - Suffolk Coastal)

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what is Ofgem's estimated cost of the Sealink HVDC project.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) is developing proposals for Sea Link, a 2GW high voltage undersea electricity link between Suffolk and Kent. The project is forecast to cost NGET ~£1.1bn, as quantified by Ofgem in their ‘Decision on accelerating onshore electricity transmission investment’ paper published in December 2022. This cost estimate is based on a 2018/19 price base and is subject to final engineering design, commodity prices, landowner agreements and mitigation.


Written Question
National Grid: Infrastructure
Tuesday 23rd January 2024

Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has had discussions with the National Grid on the proposed pylons from Norwich to Tilbury.

Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Defence Infrastructure Organisation, on behalf of the Secretary of State, has formally been consulted regarding the proposed pylons from Norwich to Tilbury. This was following a request made by the National Grid Electricity Transmission to the Planning Inspectorate.


Written Question
Wattisham Airfield: National Grid
Tuesday 23rd January 2024

Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the National Grid has had discussions with RAF Wattisham on the Norwich to Tilbury pylon proposals.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Consulting on the Norwich to Tilbury project is a matter for National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) as the Transmission Owner and developer. The Ministry of Defence is a Statutory Consultee under the Planning Act and, as such, NGET is required to engage with RAF Wattisham on potential impacts of the project on Wattisham Air Base. NGET is best placed to comment on any such engagement.


Written Question
Wind Power: Bradwell-on-Sea
Tuesday 23rd January 2024

Asked by: Thérèse Coffey (Conservative - Suffolk Coastal)

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2023 to Question 8973 on Wind Power: Bradwell-on-Sea, if she will direct National Grid to publish the study that informed its assessment of the suitability of Bradwell as a site for landfall and converter stations of offshore wind and interconnectors.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) has published its assessment of the site’s suitability as part of the latest pre-consultation material for the Norwich to Tilbury project, which outlines its considerations around Bradwell as an unsuitable landfall or converter site. NGET are best placed to answer further questions.


Written Question
National Grid: Stockport
Monday 15th January 2024

Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of National Grid capacity issues on Stockport constituency.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Upgrading electricity network capacity is a matter for the private network companies which build, own, and operate the network. The regulator, Ofgem, uses a price control framework to set the level of infrastructure investment for each network company to ensure sufficient capacity is available. Government is accelerating the delivery of higher voltage electricity infrastructure and improving the connections process so that projects can access the network more quickly through the Transmission Acceleration Action Plan and Connections Action Plan respectively, published in November 2023.


Written Question
Wind Power: Bradwell-on-Sea
Monday 15th January 2024

Asked by: Thérèse Coffey (Conservative - Suffolk Coastal)

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will direct National Grid to publish its assessment of the suitability of Bradwell as a site for landfall and converter stations of offshore wind and interconnectors.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Given the quasi-judicial role of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s Secretary of State as the ultimate decision maker on nationally significant infrastructure, I cannot comment directly on specific projects. National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) have assessed Bradwell as part of its considerations and found it unsuitable as a landfall or converter site for a number of reasons. NGET published its assessment of the site’s suitability as part of the latest pre-consultation material for the Norwich to Tilbury project.


Written Question
Aerials and Diesel
Friday 12th January 2024

Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether her Department is taking steps to reduce the use of diesel generators; and what data her Department holds on the number of mobile phone masts powered by diesel generators.

Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

We are committed to fully decarbonising the power system by 2035 but we will not be taking any chances with Britain’s energy supply.

Fossil fuel generation such as diesel is used to provide business continuity for infrastructure in the event of disruption to electricity supplies.

Users of diesel generators are required to obtain environmental permits and meet limits on emissions of air pollutants as set out in the Environmental Permitting Regulations (England and Wales) 2016.

The Department does not hold data on the number of mobile phone masts powered by diesel generators. The majority of mobile phone masts draw their power from the National Grid, with a number having a backup diesel generator, and some being permanently powered by diesel generator.


Written Question
Energy: Storage
Monday 8th January 2024

Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will make it her policy to require the National Grid Electricity System Operator to prioritise the use of battery storage instead of fossil fuel-based power.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Electricity System Operator (ESO) has responsibility for balancing supply and demand on the electricity system on a second by second basis, whilst minimising the cost for consumers.

The Government and Ofgem's 2021 Smart Systems and Flexibility Plan includes actions to open up markets and to remove barriers to participation for low-carbon flexibility such as battery storage. The Review of Electricity Market Arrangements programme is considering market reforms to drive a secure, cost-effective, low-carbon electricity system, including reform options to facilitate the deployment and operation of low-carbon flexible technologies such as battery storage.


Written Question
Electricity Interconnectors: Wales
Monday 18th December 2023

Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what progress has been made towards the creation of an electricity grid interconnector between north-west and south-west Wales.

Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

As part of the Network Options Assessment (NAO) which accompanied the Holistic Network Design (HND), the Electricity System Operator (ESO) identified the need for a new network reinforcement between North and South Wales. National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) is responsible for delivery of the required infrastructure. NGET is currently undertaking a detailed design phase to determine the exact route.