Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, for what reason electricity interconnectors from outside the UK are excluded from grid transmission charges which are applied to renewable energy generators within the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Interconnectors do not pay use of systems charges for the transmission network, and there are no plans to change this. The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement states there should be no network charges on individual transactions on electricity interconnectors, in order to ensure their efficient use and reduce barriers to trade.

As with generators in Britain, foreign generators exporting power to Britain through interconnectors are subject to a range of charges and taxes in their own countries. Domestic generators can also benefit from exporting without paying for access to networks in other countries.