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  • William Cash – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    William Cash – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Cash on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what representations she has received from (a) industry bodies and (b) the public on reviewing the treatment of electricity interconnectors under the reformed capacity market; and if she will make a statement.

    Andrea Leadsom

    We have received a number of representations on this topic, most particularly in response to the three formal consultations on this topic over the last three years. A summary of all the responses we received to these consultations are available on the Government website.

  • William Cash – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    William Cash – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Cash on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, which Combined-Cycle Gas Turbine plants have closed in the last two years; and what the (a) generation size and (b) location was of each of those plants.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The following Combined Cycle Gas Turbine plants have closed within the last two years:

    Name of Plant

    Capacity (MWe)

    Location

    Barking

    1,000

    London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, East London

    Roosecote (mothballed in 2012; demolition in 2015)

    229

    Barrow in Furness, Cumbria

    Killingholme (Centrica)

    665

    Killingholme, Humberside

    This excludes combined cycle gas turbine plants which remain available under National Grid’s Supplementary Balancing Reserve and/or plants which have converted to open cycle operation at reduced capacity or have otherwise reduced capacity.

  • Barry Gardiner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Barry Gardiner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps she is taking to work with other departments to formulate the Government’s response to the recommendation of the Energy and Climate Change Committee in its Fifth Report of Session 2015-16, on Setting the fifth carbon budget, HC 659, that effective drivers need to be put in place by Government to encourage innovation and investment for transport, buildings and agriculture.

    Andrea Leadsom

    We are currently working closely with other Government departments to determine the right approach to reducing emissions in the 2020s.

    We will publish the successor to 2011 Carbon Plan, in due course. The new plan will set out our policies and proposals for meeting the UK’s carbon budgets, and will cover all sectors of the economy, including transport, agriculture and buildings.

  • William Cash – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    William Cash – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Cash on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of the expansion of new electricity interconnectors on (a) the capacity market auction price and (b) long-term investment in gas-fired electricity generation.

    Andrea Leadsom

    We are confident that the Capacity Market is the right tool to bring forward new capacity including gas as it is needed. The participation of interconnectors in the Capacity Auction is expected to increase competition among capacity providers in the auction helping to take clearing prices as low as possible for consumers. The security of supply contribution that interconnection makes is assessed annually, based on detailed market modelling to determine anticipated electricity flows from connected markets at times of GB system stress. The government published an impact assessment last year on the inclusion of interconnectors in the Capacity Market which is available here:

    http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukia/2015/187/pdfs/ukia_20150187_en.pdf.

    Both new gas and new interconnectors are likely to be important parts of the long-term investment we need in new capacity to ensure energy supply.

    “

  • Paul Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Paul Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what the total gross expenditure on the London Power Tunnels Project is to date.

    Andrea Leadsom

    National Grid has said that as of 1 May 2016 total gross expenditure on the programme of works on the London Power Tunnels Project is approximately £780m.

    Ofgem is responsible for regulating National Grid to ensure that the work they do represents value for money for consumers.

  • Michael Dugher – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Michael Dugher – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Dugher on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps her Department is taking to ensure the data security of smart meters.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Department has worked with industry and security experts, including GCHQ, to design a smart metering system that has robust end-to-end security. The Department’s Data Access and Privacy Framework puts consumers in control of who has access to their data except where energy suppliers and networks have access for regulated purposes, such as to enable accurate monthly billing. All organisations involved in communicating with smart meters are required to comply with a detailed set of security obligations, with each aspect of the system subject to regular, independent security assurance.

    Smart meters will not store data such as a consumer’s name, address or bank details. A key design principle for the system is the maintenance of user privacy. Any transaction of data which could be deemed ‘personal’, including energy consumption data, is encrypted so only the intended recipient can see it.

  • Helen Hayes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Helen Hayes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Hayes on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of extra reserve capacity in the National Grid in 2016 and 2017.

    Andrea Leadsom

    National Grid has procured 3.6GW of a total volume cap of 3.7GW (de-rated capacity). This is the amount that National Grid calculated in their ‘volume Requirement methodology’ to assess the amount of reserve that would be considered adequate, considering a number of sensitivities. This has been approved by the regulator, Ofgem.

  • Michael Dugher – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Michael Dugher – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Dugher on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what progress her Department has made on rolling-out smart meters as standard by the end of 2020; and what estimate she has made of the number of homes that will have a smart meter installed by the end of each year to 2020.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Government is committed to every home and small business being offered smart meters by the end of 2020. The Programme is making good progress. Over 3 million meters have been installed in homes and business across Great Britain in the Foundation stage of the Programme, ahead of the nationwide roll-out.

    Suppliers’ annual projections on the number of smart meters installed each year to 2020 can be found on page 28 of the Fourth Annual Report on the Roll-out of Smart Meters:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/477258/Smart_Meters_Implementation_Programme_Annual_Report_2015.pdf

    “

  • Lisa Nandy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Lisa Nandy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Nandy on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what discussions her Department has had with other government departments on the potential for the construction of new nuclear reactors in Somerset independent of the proposals by EDF at Hinkley Point C.

    Andrea Leadsom

    DECC has had no discussions with other government departments on the potential for the construction of new nuclear reactors in Somerset independent of the proposals by EDF at Hinkley Point C.

  • Paul Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Paul Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether the London Power Tunnels Project is (a) on schedule for completion in 2018 and (b) within budget.

    Andrea Leadsom

    National Grid has said that:

    1. The London Power Tunnels Project is on schedule for completion in 2018 with all significant work completed in 2017 a year ahead of the original programme.

    2. The London Power Tunnels Project is currently within budget.