Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many gigawatt hours of electricity has been imported by individual interconnectors since 2019; and what proportion of total electricity output was generated by interconnectors in (i) 2020, (ii) 2021, (ii) 2022 and (iv) 2023.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
UK electricity imports from 2019 to 2023 via each interconnector are presented in the following table, in gigawatt hours (GWh):
Country | Interconnector | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
France | IFA 1 | 11,875 | 10,412 | 10,138 | 1,116 | 7,028 |
| IFA 2 | x | x | 5,014 | 1,246 | 3,825 |
| ElectraLink | x | x | x | 374 | 4,649 |
Netherlands | BritNed | 6,049 | 4,674 | 4,341 | 3,610 | 4,265 |
Ireland | East West | 1,238 | 1,600 | 538 | 990 | 239 |
| NI to Ireland | 302 | 321 | 325 | 336 | 213 |
Belgium | Nemo | 5,091 | 5,384 | 6,995 | 3,230 | 3,986 |
Norway | North Sea Link | x | x | 1,393 | 4,547 | 8,945 |
Denmark | Viking | x | x | x | x | 64 |
Total |
| 24,556 | 22,391 | 28,743 | 15,451 | 33,212 |
The share of the UK’s gross electricity supply (generation plus imports, excluding exports) supplied via interconnectors each year was: (i) 2020 6.6%, (ii) 2021 8.5%, (iii) 2022 4.6%, (iv) 2023 10.4%. 2023 data is provisional. Final figures will be published in the Digest of UK Energy Statistics at the end of July 2024.
In February 2024, the UK imported 3,696 GWh of electricity.
In 2023, 9,499 GWh of electricity was exported from the UK via interconnectors. This compares to 20,793 GWh in 2022 when the UK was a net exporter of electricity for the first time in 40 years.
Source: National Grid and EirGrid data.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many gigawatt hours of electricity was exported via interconnectors in the last 12 months.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
UK electricity imports from 2019 to 2023 via each interconnector are presented in the following table, in gigawatt hours (GWh):
Country | Interconnector | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
France | IFA 1 | 11,875 | 10,412 | 10,138 | 1,116 | 7,028 |
| IFA 2 | x | x | 5,014 | 1,246 | 3,825 |
| ElectraLink | x | x | x | 374 | 4,649 |
Netherlands | BritNed | 6,049 | 4,674 | 4,341 | 3,610 | 4,265 |
Ireland | East West | 1,238 | 1,600 | 538 | 990 | 239 |
| NI to Ireland | 302 | 321 | 325 | 336 | 213 |
Belgium | Nemo | 5,091 | 5,384 | 6,995 | 3,230 | 3,986 |
Norway | North Sea Link | x | x | 1,393 | 4,547 | 8,945 |
Denmark | Viking | x | x | x | x | 64 |
Total |
| 24,556 | 22,391 | 28,743 | 15,451 | 33,212 |
The share of the UK’s gross electricity supply (generation plus imports, excluding exports) supplied via interconnectors each year was: (i) 2020 6.6%, (ii) 2021 8.5%, (iii) 2022 4.6%, (iv) 2023 10.4%. 2023 data is provisional. Final figures will be published in the Digest of UK Energy Statistics at the end of July 2024.
In February 2024, the UK imported 3,696 GWh of electricity.
In 2023, 9,499 GWh of electricity was exported from the UK via interconnectors. This compares to 20,793 GWh in 2022 when the UK was a net exporter of electricity for the first time in 40 years.
Source: National Grid and EirGrid data.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many gigawatt hours of electricity was imported in February.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
UK electricity imports from 2019 to 2023 via each interconnector are presented in the following table, in gigawatt hours (GWh):
Country | Interconnector | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
France | IFA 1 | 11,875 | 10,412 | 10,138 | 1,116 | 7,028 |
| IFA 2 | x | x | 5,014 | 1,246 | 3,825 |
| ElectraLink | x | x | x | 374 | 4,649 |
Netherlands | BritNed | 6,049 | 4,674 | 4,341 | 3,610 | 4,265 |
Ireland | East West | 1,238 | 1,600 | 538 | 990 | 239 |
| NI to Ireland | 302 | 321 | 325 | 336 | 213 |
Belgium | Nemo | 5,091 | 5,384 | 6,995 | 3,230 | 3,986 |
Norway | North Sea Link | x | x | 1,393 | 4,547 | 8,945 |
Denmark | Viking | x | x | x | x | 64 |
Total |
| 24,556 | 22,391 | 28,743 | 15,451 | 33,212 |
The share of the UK’s gross electricity supply (generation plus imports, excluding exports) supplied via interconnectors each year was: (i) 2020 6.6%, (ii) 2021 8.5%, (iii) 2022 4.6%, (iv) 2023 10.4%. 2023 data is provisional. Final figures will be published in the Digest of UK Energy Statistics at the end of July 2024.
In February 2024, the UK imported 3,696 GWh of electricity.
In 2023, 9,499 GWh of electricity was exported from the UK via interconnectors. This compares to 20,793 GWh in 2022 when the UK was a net exporter of electricity for the first time in 40 years.
Source: National Grid and EirGrid data.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, which electricity interconnector projects (a) have received approval and (b) are awaiting approval; and what the megawatt capacity is of each proposed project.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
Ofgem is responsible for awarding regulatory approval to electricity interconnector projects in Great Britain. There are two main routes to regulatory approval, through the awarding of a cap and floor regime, or a merchant route. Including both routes, Ofgem has given approval to the following projects:
Ofgem is assessing a selection of projects that applied for regulatory approval through the third cap and floor application window. These results are interim and are being consulted upon. The final decision will be made in summer 2024 by Ofgem. The projects that are awaiting final regulatory decisions are:
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many gigawatt hours of electricity was produced domestically in the last 12 months.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
Figures for UK electricity generation are published in Energy Trends table 5.1, available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/electricity-section-5-energy-trends. Provisionally, in 2023, UK generators produced 285,606 GWh of electricity.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what her Department's policy is on the future capacity of new electricity interconnectors in (a) 2025, (b) 2030 and (c) 2040.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
As of March 2024, Great Britain has 9.8GW interconnection capacity in operation. A further 1.9 GW of interconnection is in construction, with 0.5GW expected to be operational by 2025. Anticipated interconnection capacity by 2025 is therefore approximately 10.3GW.
In 2020, the Government set an ambition to realise at least 18GW of interconnection by 2030; this was reaffirmed in 2023.
Two additional interconnectors, totalling 3.2GW, have recently received positive interim regulatory decisions from Ofgem. If progressed, Great Britain will be on track for 13.1GW of interconnection capacity by 2030, and 14.9GW by 2031.
The Government will provide more information on interconnection post-2030 in due course.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many electricity interconnectors are operational; and what the megawatt capacity is per interconnector.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
Great Britain currently has nine operational interconnectors, listed alongside their deployed capacity:
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether she has made an estimate of the average transmission network costs for (a) inter connectors and (b) domestic generators of electricity in the last 12 months.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
The Electricity System Operator has published its “Final Transmission Network Use of System (TNUoS) Tariffs for 2023/24” document, which details that interconnectors are exempt from transmission charges, and the average transmission network tariff for generators is £12.45/kW.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
What steps she is taking to promote energy self-sufficiency in the UK.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
We are investing in homegrown renewable energy and recently announced the biggest expansion of nuclear power for 70 years. We are also ensuring sustained oil & gas production through annual licencing rounds under the Offshore Petroleum Licensing Bill.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether she plans to classify nuclear power as sustainable.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
The Government has stated its intention that, subject to consultation, we will include nuclear in the UK Green Taxonomy. This will incentivise private investment in this important technology alongside renewables and other sectors that are key to reaching our Net Zero goal. The Government expects to publish the consultation on the UK Green Taxonomy shortly.