Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increasing the use of imported electricity on (a) industrial and (b) domestic energy prices.

Interconnectors are built to share energy with some of our closest European allies, who are also generating renewable, clean energy at affordable prices, enabling access to lower-cost electricity for GB consumers. Analysis supporting the Smart Systems and Flexibility Plan ^[1] showed that increasing the level of interconnection could reduce system costs by over £1bn annually (based on 2012 prices).

New interconnectors are subject to an independent and robust regulatory process run by Ofgem, ensuring that only projects which bring benefits to GB consumers are built.

[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transitioning-to-a-net-zero-energy-system-smart-systems-and-flexibility-plan-2021