Government Tables Amendments to the 2012 Energy Bill

The government has tabled amendments to the Energy Bill, currently at report stage in the parliamentary process. The amendments include reducing the number of tariffs that energy suppliers can offer to consumers, which should ensure customers are not left on ‘dead’ tariffs which do not offer value for money.

Clauses were also tabled to enable the Government to take powers to set a decarbonisation target range in 2016 for the electricity sector for 2030. Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) explained that “Setting a decarbonisation target range in 2016 would ensure that the range is set in the context of considering the pathway of the whole economy towards the 2050 target, and in a way that minimises costs both to the economy, and to bill payers. Prior to this, Government will issue guidance to the National Grid on an indicative range of decarbonisation scenarios for the power sector in 2030 consistent with achieving the 2050 target at least-cost.”

The amendments also include a clause to allow DECC to charge fees for providing energy resilience services in the event of a disruption, or threatened disruption, to energy supplies.

Anyone who is interested in tracking the progress of the Energy Bill can do so here.

For more information, help or advice on Energy issues please contact our Energy Team on 0191 211 7777 or email [email protected].