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The Chancellor has delivered his 2014 Autumn Statement to parliament - full details are available here.
Commenting on the Autumn Statement and 2014 National Infrastructure Plan, Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey said:
"The energy sector is powering the economic recovery – the National Infrastructure Plan shows the strength of investment and confidence in Britain’s energy industries. Britain is determined to stay at the cutting edge of low carbon energy technology to get the best possible deal for British bill payers, now and in the decades ahead. That’s why we’re backing new green technologies like tidal energy, to cut our reliance on foreign fossil fuels, backing domestic energy sources and building electricity cables to other countries so we can buy electricity from wherever it’s cheapest. And there’s direct help for people now – an extra £100 million on top of the £450 million we’d already committed to make homes warmer and cheaper to run, and particular help for those who are paying over the odds to heat their homes because they’re not connected to the gas grid."
The main announcements for DECC, from the Autumn Statement and National Infrastructure Plan, include:
- The government will establish a new £5 million fund for shale exploration to provide independent evidence directly to the general public about the robustness of the existing regulatory regime. As a part of this, DECC will set up independent monitoring of a number of shale sites.
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The government is allocating £25 million of funding in 2015-16 for first-time heating systems in off-gas-grid homes in England.
- The government will provide an additional £6 million of funding for the Oil and Gas Authority in 2015-16 to help establish the body as a new arms‑length asset steward and regulator. Full details will be announced by Chief Secretary to Treasury, Danny Alexander in Aberdeen on Thursday 4 December.
- The Government will start closer discussions with Tidal Lagoon Power Ltd to establish whether a potential tidal lagoon project at Swansea Bay is affordable and value for money for consumers (without prejudice to the planning decision on the project).
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The Government will ensure that interconnectors can participate in the 2015 capacity auction; it will estimate the eligible capacity of each interconnector on a case-by-case basis.
- HM Treasury has reached a cooperation agreement with Toshiba, GDF Suez and NuGen with the aim of issuing a statement of intent to provide a guarantee to assist the financing of a new nuclear power plant at Moorside, subject to due diligence and ministerial approval.
- DECC, with other government departments, will explore the technical, commercial and legislative feasibility of using the fibre cabling supporting wind farms for commercial communication services including broadband for rural communities.
For full details of all the announcements included in the 2014 National Infrastructure Plan announced on Tuesday 2 December, see here.
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