Government sets out plans to boost energy security

The government has announced plans to speed up connections and increase capacity on the electricity grid, as well as £960 million of investment in green industries.

It is hoped that the new measures will support economic growth and highlight the UK as one of the best countries in the world to invest in renewables.

The government has published its response to Electricity Networks Commissioner, Nick Winser CBE, and has accepted his recommendations in all areas.

It has been anticipated that the measures will halve the time it takes to build high-voltage power lines from 14 years to seven.

It is also hoped that the Connections Action Plan will cut the average delay time projects face to connect to the grid from 5 years to just 6 months.

It has also been announced that communities hosting new power infrastructure could benefit directly with lower electricity bills and money for projects in their local areas. Communities will have the power to decide how this money is spent - it could be used to fund apprenticeships, energy efficiency measures, local parks or community energy generation.

£960 million has been committed for the Green Industries Growth Accelerator, which intends to accelerate advanced manufacturing capacity in key net zero sectors, such as offshore  wind, networks, carbon capture, usage and storage, hydrogen and nuclear.

Energy security secretary Claire Coutinho said: "We have set out the most radical plans to update the grid since the 1950s – speeding up connections and rapidly increasing capacity.

"As we move away from unreliable imports to cheaper, home-grown energy, we’re boosting the grid so that it can meet our expanding electricity needs which are expected to have doubled by 2050. This will drive down bills while bringing forward £90 billion of investment over the next decade.

"We’ll also reward those living closest to new infrastructure with up to £1000 a year off their energy bills, while communities will get at least £200,000 to spend on local projects that matter the most to them.

National Grid chief executive John Pettigrew, said: "Networks are critical to connect cleaner, more affordable, home-grown energy to Britain’s homes and businesses, and we welcome the bold plans set out by government today.

"A spatial energy plan and accelerated planning consent will bring clarity, authority and urgency to what needs to be built and where, while new community benefit proposals will ensure local people remain at the heart of the energy transition. The connections action plan will deliver fundamental reforms needed to enable us to plug clean energy projects in faster, and build on the progress already being made.

"The intent is clear and welcome; now these plans must be implemented at pace to capture the economic opportunity of the energy transition and keep Britain on target to achieve its climate goals."