Committee discusses energy grid with planners, businesses and consumers
The Industry and Regulators Committee will continue its inquiry into the energy grid and grid connections by hearing from representatives of planning authorities about how energy infrastructure projects move through the planning system. The Committee will discuss what barriers the planning system poses to energy grid projects, whether authorities have the resources to progress projects quickly, and whether the Government’s planning proposals are sufficient to help meet its clean power target.
The Committee will then hear from representatives of energy consumers, including domestic consumers, steel companies and technology companies. The Committee will be discussing how consumers interact with the energy grid, the experience of businesses seeking connections to the grid and what impact network costs have on energy bills.
Meeting details
Possible questions include:
- What are the main barriers and issues causing delays in the planning system for energy projects, and what measures would you like to see to address them?
- What community incentives might best enable grid expansion, and should they be compulsory?
- What impact do delays to grid connections have on customers, and does this affect the attractiveness of locating businesses in the UK?
- What impact does the cost of energy networks have on consumer energy bills? Given the expectation of increased network investment, is there sufficient support for those businesses and consumers that struggle with high energy bills?