For Immediate Release – Saturday 16 October 2010
Attn: NEWS DESKS
POLITICAL CORRESPONDENTS
SNP conference today (Saturday) unanimously backed a resolution seeking urgent changes to end the transmission charging regime which discriminates against energy generated in Scotland.
Angus MP and SNP Westminster Energy spokesperson Mike Weir welcomed the launch of a review of electricity and gas grid charges regime by Ofgem.
Mr Weir said:
"The energy industry, and the development of renewables, is being hampered by the current charging model and must be reformed.
"It is welcome that OFGEM have finally accepted that the present regime is not suitable for the encouragement of low carbon renewable generation given that such generators have little option as to where they can site developments. The present encouragement to site near centres of population is clearly unsuitable.
"Any new system must recognise the need to give a fair deal to developers in Scotland and end the current ludicrous situation where generators in the north pay a £16 per megawatt to get access to the system, whilst generators in the south of England effectively receive a subsidy.
"Scotland has huge renewable potential but must have a fair access system to allow linkage to the national grid. The announcement from OFGEM is a long overdue recognition of the point we have been making and hopefully we will shortly have a system that recognises the needs of the low carbon electricity generation of the twenty first century rather than the old system based on large centralised generation."
ENDS
TRANSMISSION CHARGES
Conference notes the decision by OFGEM to review the transmission charging regime for access to the National Grid; welcomes the belated recognition that the current regime is working against renewables in Scotland and calls upon them to urgently change the system to end the discrimination against energy generated in Scotland.
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About Me
- Bonnyrigg and Loanhead SNP
- Bonnyrigg, Loanhead and District Branch is responsible for SNP activity in the Midlothian Council Bonnyrigg and Midlothian West Council wards. The branch have two sitting Councillors, Cllr Bob Constable (Bonnyrigg) and Cllr Owen Thompson (Midlothian West)
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