Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to ensure that all regions of the UK benefit from hydrogen investment.
Answered by Graham Stuart
In the Energy Security Strategy, the Government doubled its ambition from 5GW to up to 10GW of low carbon production capacity by 2030, including a commitment to host yearly electrolytic allocation funding rounds for projects across the UK. Together with a clear policy and regulatory environment, the Government expects to mobilise over £9 billion of private investment in hydrogen production alone across all regions of the UK by 2030.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what is the current estimated strike rate for Hinkley Point C for the estimated operational year of 2027 based on the annual RPI increases since the 2013 agreed strike rate of £92.50 and future estimates of annual inflation.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC) is the counterparty to the Contracts for Difference (CfD) with the Developer of Hinkley Point C. The LCCC does not forecast the future strike price but does update the strike price annually based on actual inflation (CPI) data (and other parameters) in line with the CfD contractual requirements.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what is the estimated strike rate for Hinkley Point C based on the annual RPI increases since the 2013 agreed strike rate of £92.50.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The current strike price published by the Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC) is £106.12£MWh.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether a backstop date has been agreed between the Low Carbon Contracts Company and EDF for the purposes of (a) possible contract termination and (b) the start of the Hinkley Point C Contract for Difference.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Longstop Date in the Hinkley Point C (HPC) contract, the point at which the Contract for Difference (CfD) may be terminated for non-completion, has moved from 1 November 2033 to 1 November 2036. The extension reflects the work of the Low Carbon Contracts Company with the HPC project to understand the impacts of COVID-19, and the outcome of BEIS’ negotiations with China General Nuclear and EDF on Sizewell C. It has no impact on the project’s anticipated delivery date and consumers will pay nothing towards HPC until the project starts generating electricity.
The Longstop Date is the latest possible date that the CfD could start. EDF is targeting commencement of electricity generation at HPC, and therefore the start of the CfD, in June 2027.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the oral evidence given to the Science and Technology Committee on 2 November 2022, on Delivering Nuclear Power, HC 626, what stake the Government plans to take in Sizewell C nuclear power station.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government aims to conclude negotiations this month, subject to final approvals for the investment. Further details will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what size stake in the Sizewell C nuclear power station the Government expects to take as a result of the funding of up to £700 million it has announced for that project.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government aims to conclude negotiations this month, subject to final approvals for the investment. Further details will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will provide a breakdown of the number of Green Deal Loans put in place by the company HELMS by constituency to which those loans applied.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The number of Green Deal plans provided by Home Energy & Lifestyle Management Ltd (HELMS) in each constituency in the UK is shown in the attached table.
To manage the risk of revealing personal or commercial data, the Government approach is not to release non-zero counts of fewer than five for a small geographic area.