ICE submission to the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee inquiry on the cost of energy

This inquiry by the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee examined how achievable the UK’s government promise to lower energy bills is.

The ICE’s response focused on where the costs of decarbonising the electricity grid should lie. It made the following key points:

• Decarbonising the grid will require significant investment in infrastructure. This will ultimately deliver environmental benefits, greater energy security, and lower bills.
• However, recent polling commissioned by the ICE suggests more needs to be done to engage the public about the cost of infrastructure and how it is paid for.
• The public ultimately funds new infrastructure through taxes, utility bills or user charges, but people are divided on which is the fairest way to pay for it.
• The private sector will play a major role in delivering the infrastructure required for the clean energy transition. The ICE’s research found that the public was concerned that private companies would prioritise profit, impacting service quality, long-term maintenance, and the affordability of essential services.