ICE responds to consultation on the reform of the electricity market
Commenting on the consultation on the reform of the electricity market, announced today by Chris Huhne, Energy and Climate Change Secretary, Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) Director General, said:
“This consultation and the proposal to set a price floor for carbon, are crucial and welcome steps towards creating more certainty for investors on the likely returns from investing in low carbon electricity generation. In the next decade we are set to lose more than 15 percent of our energy supply through the closure of gas, coal and nuclear stations. At the same time demand is set to rise and we have made binding commitments to lower our emissions through upscaling renewable sources. This won’t be achievable if Government doesn’t start setting down concrete plans on how we can secure the required investment.
“This momentum must now continue with a raft of other measures to help provide this much needed investor certainty – these include firming up the energy policy statements so industry has a clear idea of Government’s commitment and vision and reassurance that the new planning system will aid progress. If industry has any reason to doubt the Government’s long term commitment, we could be facing a very real energy gap within a decade.”
Media contacts
Kate Ison
ICE Media Relations Manager
0207 665 2104
kate.ison@ice.org.uk
Notes to editors
The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) was founded in 1818 to ensure professionalism in civil engineering. It represents 80,000 qualified and student civil engineers in the UK and across the globe. The ICE has long worked with the government of the day to help it to achieve its objectives, and has worked with industry to ensure that construction and civil engineering remain major contributors to the UK economy and UK exports.