Charles Hendry, a former UK energy minister, has been appointed independent chairman of SP Energy Networks’ new user group, set up as a requirement of the industry regulator to scrutinise future electricity transmission plans. The group established by SP Energy Networks — part of Scottish Power — is to help to create the programme for electricity transmission beyond 2021 by providing an independent challenge to the company’s business plan. It comes as Britain tries to rise to the challenge of decarbonisation while meeting the needs of growing demand for electricity from areas such as electric cars. Mr Hendry, who lives in Ayrshire and was Conservative energy minister from 2010 to 2012, said this was the “biggest change in the electricity system that we’ve seen in our lifetime”. SP Energy Networks provides power on behalf of supply companies through its cables and power lines. It owns and operates the electricity transmission and distribution networks in the central belt and south of Scotland, which serves two million customers, and the distribution network in Merseyside and north Wales, reaching 1.5 million customers. It said that the next ten years would be critical for the next phase of the British economy’s decarbonising of transport and heat if the “road to zero” was to be achieved.
The Times 23rd July 2018 read more »
