UK Inquiry Tracker

Decarbonising the power sector

Public Accounts Committee Closed Inquiry

Opened: 30 Jan 2023 Closed: 24 Sep 2023 Parliament page

In October 2021 the Government set a target to decarbonise the power sector by 2035, subject to security of supply. But demand for electricity is expected to increase significantly in that timeframe as other sectors, such as transport and heating in buildings, switch to electricity to reduce emissions. Decarbonising in … Read more

3 Recommendations

20 Conclusions

1 Report

1 Oral session

2 Letters

1 Event

Activity timeline 6 events

24 Sep
2023

Report published

Treasury minutes: Government response to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Fifty-ninth report from Session 2022-23

11 Jul
2023

Correspondence

Correspondence from James Armstrong, Managing Partner, Bluefield Partners LLP, re Bluefield Partners LLP submission to Public Accounts Comm…

21 Jun
2023

Report published

Fifty-Ninth Report - Decarbonising the power sector

17 Apr
2023

Correspondence

Correspondence from Jeremy Pocklington CB, Permanent Secretary, re follow up questions eaised at the Public Accounts Committee on the NAO O…

23 Mar
2023

Oral evidence

Decarbonising the power sector

23 Mar
2023

Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House

Decarbonising the power sector

Oral evidence sessions 1 session

23 Mar 2023

View on parliament.uk

Decarbonising the power sector

Ashley Ibbett · Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Jeremy Pocklington CB · Ministry of Defence Jonathan Mills · Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

Reports 1 report · click to expand

Title	HC No.	Published	Items	Response
Fifty-Ninth Report - Decarbonising the power sector	HC 1003	21 Jun 2023	23	Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

2 results

7 Conclusion Not Addressed

Fifty-Ninth Report - Decarbonising…

Regulatory system for nuclear energy insufficient to deliver government's ambitious pipeline.

In the last two decades, government has only agreed one nuclear project, at Hinkley Point C.18 The government is now creating Great British Nuclear to help it build capacity and expertise, and a regulatory regime aimed at expanding its nuclear … Read more In the last two decades, government has only agreed one nuclear project, at Hinkley Point C.18 The government is now creating Great British Nuclear to help it build capacity and expertise, and a regulatory regime aimed at expanding its nuclear pipeline and help it 7 Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, Net Zero Strategy: Build Back Greener, 19 October 2021; Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, British Energy Security Strategy, 7 April 2022; HM Treasury, Net Zero Review: Analysis exploring the key issues, October 2021; HM Government, The Energy White Paper: Powering our net zero future, CP 337, December 2020; Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and Ofgem, Transitioning to a net zero energy system: Smart Systems and Flexibility Plan, July 2021; Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, UK Hydrogen Strategy, CP 475, August 2021. 8 Q 68 9 Q 25; Department for Energy Security & Net Zero, Review of Electricity Market Arrangements: Summary of responses to consultation, March 2023; draft legislation 10 Qq 23, 28, 112 11 Qq 23, 27 12 Qq 24, 26–27, 109–110; C&AG’s Report paras 9–11 13 Climate Change Committee, Progress in reducing emissions: 2022 Report to Parliament, June 2022 14 Qq 23–27 15 Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, Net Zero Strategy: Build Back Greener, 19 October 2021 16 Q 32 17 C&AG’s Report, Figure 2 18 C&AG’s Report, para 1.9 10 Decarbonising the power sector achieve its ambitions for this technology.19 We received written evidence from the Nuclear Industry Association that regulation and safety are at the heart of the sector, but that, the current system would not work efficiently or quickly enough to deliver government’s ambitions.20 These ambitions include overseeing the deployment of a mix of large ‘gigawatt’ stations such as Hinkley Point C (which is under construction and due to produce up to 3.2GW when it starts operating), and small modular reactors (so-called SMRs) Show less

Government Response

The government states it agrees with the recommendation and provides annual updates to Parliament through responses to the Climate Change Committee’s reports and other publications. The response does not address the committee's observation regarding the efficiency or speed of the nuclear regulatory system.

HM Treasury

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8 Conclusion

Fifty-Ninth Report - Decarbonising…

Offshore wind project pipeline could exceed ambition, but not all expected to succeed.

The Department also told us that it is tracking offshore wind projects at various stages of development that could produce 80GW of electricity when operating, more than its 50GW ambition. However, it acknowledged that not all these projects would succeed. … Read more

HM Treasury

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Government Response AI assessment · 22 of 3 classified

Accepted 15

Acknowledged 1

Not Addressed 1

Rejected 5

Total 3 recs + 20 conclusions

Correspondence 2 letters

11 Jul 2023 Correspondence from James Armstrong, Managing Partner, Bluefield Partners LLP, re Bluefield Partners LLP submission to Public Accounts Committee inquiry, dated 28 June 2023

Parliament page

17 Apr 2023 Correspondence from Jeremy Pocklington CB, Permanent Secretary, re follow up questions eaised at the Public Accounts Committee on the NAO Office report on Decarbonising the Power Sector, dated March 2023

Parliament page