Source · Select Committees · Welsh Affairs Committee
Recommendation 27
27
Acknowledged
The Government should incentivise energy companies and transmission infrastructure owners to provide benefits to communities...
Recommendation
The Government should incentivise energy companies and transmission infrastructure owners to provide benefits to communities hosting network assets. Communities should be directly consulted on the benefits they would like to receive. A starting presumption 40 Grid capacity in Wales should be introduced through policy that a proportion of all future energy projects must be partly community-owned or provide direct benefits to the community which hosts the energy project and associated grid infrastructure. (Paragraph 126) Anticipatory investment
Government Response Summary
The government states that it has already committed in the BESS to review community benefit options for electricity network infrastructure, and is currently engaging with stakeholders to explore a more standardised approach to local community benefit packages.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
The Government committed in the BESS to review community benefit options for electricity network infrastructure to ensure that communities that host network infrastructure are recognised for their vital role in moving away from fossil fuels and ensuring a cheaper and cleaner energy supply in Britain. The current approach to providing local community benefit packages for network infrastructure is voluntary and predominately led by the transmission operators. The Government is exploring if there should be a more standardised approach or whether providing a framework or benchmark offers more flexibility that would be of benefit to the distinct needs of individual communities and projects. We are engaging with community representatives, industry and stakeholders with an interest in community benefits. We are also engaging with transmission operators and working with Ofgem to review how benefits are currently delivered and how this can evolve, including for projects currently in flight.