Electricity Network Connection Action Plan Debate

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Department: Department for Energy Security & Net Zero

Electricity Network Connection Action Plan

Lord Teverson Excerpts
Wednesday 22nd November 2023

(5 months, 3 weeks ago)

Lords Chamber
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Lord Callanan Portrait Lord Callanan (Con)
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Indeed, we are working with both the Scottish and Welsh Governments. There is tremendous public support for offshore wind; it has been our biggest expansion mechanism. But of course it requires a lot of onshore infrastructure as well, which is unpopular in the communities affected. There is a well-established planning process, looking at all these impacts, and we will continue to work with the devolved Administrations.

Lord Teverson Portrait Lord Teverson (LD)
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My Lords, since the Government have just dabbled with changing the planning conditions for onshore wind in England, there has been no action whatever from the industry, in that it still sees the planning restrictions as a major barrier. When does the Minister expect the next connection into the grid by onshore wind in England so that households can benefit from the cheapest form of energy we can produce in this country?