Lords investigate long-term electricity supply
23 October 2014
A Lords inquiry looking into the resilience of the electricity system continues next week with two of the ‘big six’ energy providers, EDF Energy and E.ON UK, giving evidence.
- Parliament TV: The resilience of electricity infrastructure
- Inquiry: The resilience of electricity infrastructure
- Science and Technology Committee (Lords)
Background
On Tuesday 28 October the House of Lords Science and Technology Select Committee will also hear from a third energy provider, OVO Energy, as well as from renowned academic in the field of energy, Professor Dieter Helm.
Witnesses
Tuesday 28 October, Committee Room 4A, Palace of Westminster
At 10.40am:
- Guy Newey, Head of Policy, OVO Energy;
- Dr Laurence Barrett, Strategy Project Manager, E.ON UK; and
- Paul Spence, Director of Strategy and Corporate Affairs, EDF Energy
Questions they may be asked will include:
- How resilient is the electricity system at the moment?
- Is the right balance being struck between market forces and Government intervention?
- What impact might future developments in technology have on the resilience of the electricity system?
- Will the Capacity Market be effective at balancing supply and demand in the medium term?
At 11.40am:
- Professor Dieter Helm CBE, University of Oxford
Professor Helm is an economist specialising in utilities, infrastructure, regulation and the environment, and has recently published a book entitled The Carbon crunch: how we are getting climate change wrong and how to fix it.
Questions he may face will include:
- How resilient is the electricity system at the moment, especially over the next two winters?
- How should the Government balance future renewables research and development against more imminent need to bring emissions down?
- Is the Government taking the right path towards decarbonisation of the electricity system?