The UK Government’s energy policy reforms could cause blackouts and rising energy prices in Scotland, said Scotland’s Energy Minister, Fergus Ewing.
In a letter he wrote to the Secretary of State Ed Davey, he said:
“We have examined the UK Government’s proposals carefully, discussing them in detail with the industry and other stakeholders. I believe beyond doubt that the current proposals risk failing Scotland and the UK in a number of vital areas, and present a huge risk to UK security of supply as well as to investor confidence and our low carbon ambitions.”
He continued by saying that the Scottish Government would not support an outcome by which they would sacrifice renewable ambitions in favor of “discredited, expensive and imported nuclear technology.“
Besides Energy Minister, both Ofgem and National Grid have deep concerns for UK’s energy supply for this winter and that in the following years since, as the Minister explained: “It would be extremely unwise to ignore the vital and combined contribution of Scotland’s renewable and thermal generation to keeping the lights on across the UK.“
“Unless serious and considered steps are taken to address these matters, and which supports investment in thermal generation across the whole of the UK, then the threat of blackouts will crystallise rapidly. The failure to secure a proper margin of capacity over peak demand will inevitably see further price rises on energy bills – resultant from UK energy policy failure over the past decade, as a result of the laws of supply and demand.“
“We now know that the UK Government has also proposed a last ditch amendment to the Energy Bill, which will allow UK ministers to close the Renewables Obligation in Scotland. I find it extraordinary that the UK Government has chosen to act in this way, and to strip Scottish Ministers and the Scottish Parliament of their powers and discretion in an area of such vital importance, “ he concluded.
Offshore WIND staff, November 6, 2013; Image: scotland