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Electricity: Imports

Question for Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

UIN HL2525, tabled on 13 November 2024

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risks associated with importing electricity from Europe.

Answered on

22 November 2024

Electricity imports enhance security of supply by providing access to a more diverse generation pool that complements our domestic energy mix. They provide system flexibility by responding to changes in supply and demand, which is vital as we continue to integrate more renewable energy sources with intermittent generation.

In their Winter Outlook, the National Energy System Operator expects full interconnector availability for most of this winter, with 6.6GW of capacity obliged to import if needed through the Capacity Market. This is up 1.5GW from last winter and underpinned by comprehensive legal and treaty protections to ensure the market remains open.

Winter Outlook | National Energy System Operator