Department for
Business, Energy
& Industrial Strategy
Published 15 July 2020
1. Background
Energy Minister Kwasi Kwarteng has announced the scope of a review into the existing offshore transmission regime to address the barriers it presents to further significant deployment of offshore wind, with a view to achieving net zero ambitions.......
......The review, launched by Minister Kwasi Kwarteng at a round-table meeting of MPs and other interested stakeholders, will bring together the key stakeholders involved in the timing, siting, design and delivery of offshore wind to consider all aspects of the existing regime and how this influences the design and delivery of transmission infrastructure. Its terms of reference, as agreed with delivery partners and stakeholders in the sector, focus on identifying tactical near-term actions that can be taken and early opportunities for coordination for projects in the short- to medium-term, plus a longer-term strategic review to develop a new regime that can ensure a more coordinated approach for the future.
To ensure that the transmission connections for offshore wind generation are delivered in the most appropriate way, considering the increased ambition for offshore wind to achieve net zero. This will be done with a view to finding the appropriate balance between environmental, social and economic costs.
....We will publish an update by the end of the year, with a view to providing clarity for an enduring approach in 2021. Policy recommendations and proposed changes to the existing regime will be delivered through the usual consultation process.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/offshore-transmission-network-review