UK Proposing New Gas Plants to Improve Energy Security

The UK is proposing to build new gas plants to improve energy security according to the government on Tuesday.

• The country is seeking to increase nuclear and wind power capacity to meet climate targets and boost energy security but said new gas plants will also be needed to provide back up.
• The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) said new gas plants will be needed beyond 2030.
• “Without gas backing up renewables, we face the genuine prospect of blackouts ... We will not let ourselves be put in that position. And so, as we continue to move towards clean energy, we must be realistic,” energy minister Claire Coutinho is expected to say in a speech later today.
• Currently around a third of the country's electricity comes from gas plants.
• DESNZ is also proposing a zonal pricing system for electricity prices with different wholesale prices better matching supply and demand. Under the plan, generators would receive varying compensation rates depending on the distance between their facilities and consumers.