Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Grid Capacity

Tuesday 8 October 2024 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial reforms aim to halve development time for new transmission infrastructure.
  • Work is underway to identify next steps with National Grid for grid capacity upgrades.
  • The UK faces a significant challenge with over 700 GW waiting in the connections queue.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Tessa Munt Lib Dem Wells and Mendip Hills
Climate Energy
Context

Communities are developing local solar projects, but individuals face high costs for grid connection. The current grid infrastructure is not suitable for small-scale power generators.

Question

My village has a community solar project funded by residents, and non-profit organisations have installed panels on schools. However, individuals trying to connect their smaller energy projects to the grid are faced with prohibitive costs. What can the Minister do to encourage National Grid to support these communities and make connections more affordable?

Answer from Michael Shanks

We are working on reforms in planning, supply chains and other areas to halve development time for new transmission infrastructure. We want to see many more community energy projects throughout the country, but we need significant upgrading of the grid inherited from previous governments. Work is being done with National Grid to identify next steps for shortening the connections queue and making it more affordable for smaller projects.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific measures or funding amounts to help community energy projects connect at lower costs were not provided.

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Q2 Tessa Munt Lib Dem Wells and Mendip Hills
Climate Energy
Context

Local communities have community solar projects but face high connection costs. The current grid was designed for large power stations, not small-scale generators.

Question

Communities are developing local solar projects funded by residents and non-profit organisations have installed panels on schools with an element of community ownership. Individuals trying to connect their energy projects to the grid face prohibitive costs. What can be done to encourage National Grid to support communities in creating their own energy?

Answer from Michael Shanks

We are working on reforms to halve development time for new transmission infrastructure, delivering clean power by 2030. We want many more community energy projects but need significant upgrading of the inherited grid. Work is being done with National Grid and others to identify next steps for shortening connections queue and making it affordable for smaller projects.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific actions or funding amounts were not provided.

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Q3 Pippa Heylings Lib Dem South Cambridgeshire
Climate Energy
Context

Projects are being delayed due to the lack of grid capacity, including solar panels and batteries for decarbonising refuse fleets. There is a long connections queue with over 700 GW waiting.

Question

The UK's push towards renewable energy is hindered by delays in connecting projects to the national grid, which has caused delays in building new homes and other critical infrastructure. How will we reach the stage on the scale and pace needed?

Answer from Michael Shanks

The connections queue is a huge challenge with more than 700 GW waiting. The previous Government established prioritisation for the queue, which we will implement but need to go further. By 2030, four times as much new transmission network needs to be built compared to since 1990.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific steps or funding amounts were not provided for addressing grid capacity issues.

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