Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 38
38
Deferred
DESNZ continues to lack an overarching delivery plan for power sector decarbonisation.
Recommendation
We examined, in a separate inquiry, DESNZ’s ambitions for decarbonising the power sector and concluded that it lacked an overarching delivery plan that would provide confidence to the private sector to invest in new and upgraded infrastructure. We also warned that this made it difficult for DESNZ to understand the decisions and timings it must take to achieve its ambition to decarbonise the power sector by 2035.75 Yet we observed at the time of our evidence session that DESNZ still did not have a delivery plan, despite us calling for it to produce one by autumn 2023 at the latest. DESNZ told us that it now expected it to be available in “the next couple of months”. Originally, DESNZ had planned to prepare a first draft of its delivery plan by October 2022.76
Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the recommendation but defers the implementation date pending new ministerial steers. It has appointed a 2030 Mission Control to accelerate critical clean energy infrastructure delivery, with further information to be announced.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
7.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: to be confirmed 7.2 The implementation of recommendations is dependent on further steers from new ministers, and the department will inform the new Committee as soon as an implementation date is agreed. 7.3 This government has announced a target of delivering Clean Power by 2030, as a key pillar of the mission to make the UK a Clean Energy Superpower. To support this effort, the Secretary of State of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has appointed Chris Stark to lead a 2030 Mission Control to spearhead a new approach to accelerate the delivery of critical, clean energy infrastructure. 7.4 Mission Control has the mandate to lead bold action in collaboration with industry, Ofgem, and the Electricity System Operator to remove obstacles and identify and resolve issues as they arise. Further information on the approach will be announced in due course.