黑洞社区

Labour鈥檚 shadow spokesperson for energy in the Lords has slammed the government鈥檚 strike price deal with EDF to guarantee the price of electricity generated at the planned Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant for having a 鈥渕assive destabilising鈥� effect on the energy market.

Speaking at the Ecobuild conference in London, Baroness Worthington, shadow spokesperson for energy and climate change for the House of Lords, said the deal had caused a 鈥渃risis of confidence鈥� in the future of energy production in the UK.

Worthington was speaking at a political debate at Ecobuild that pitted the Labour spokesperson against Liberal Democrat energy minister Ed Davey and Green party leader Natalie Bennett.

Commenting on Hinkley Point, Worthington said: 鈥淧olicies which Conservatives brought in have [resulted in] massive destabilising of the energy market.

鈥淚ntervention in the market has dented confidence, for a contract which has yet to be signed. We have become over-obsessed with the delivery of one project.鈥�

Davey defended the government鈥檚 position on Hinkley Point, saying: 鈥淲e haven鈥檛 signed an agreement yet, I know as I am the one who has to sign it.鈥�

Worthington also attacked the government鈥檚 policy towards fracking as 鈥渕isguided鈥�, accusing the government of chasing an energy 鈥渨hite elephant鈥�.

Worthington said: 鈥淭he Conservatives have been completely misguided, they have followed what the US has done and believe that you can use fracking to solve our energy crisis, and look what has happened.

鈥淏adly informed advisors have led to an energy policy which is distorted and unreliable.鈥�

Green party leader Natalie Bennett described the policy of fracking as 鈥榓 fracking fantasy鈥�, adding: 鈥淟et me be clear, the next generation of energy production should not include nuclear, or fracking.鈥�

Bennett described the next decade as an 鈥渆xciting opportunity鈥� for the UK to invest in a new energy infrastructure: 鈥淭hese are opportunities to develop new technologies and industries to become more efficient. Energy efficiency is there, we have just got to do it.鈥�

Bennett said one of the biggest problems the UK has is an inconsistent energy policy: 鈥淲e keep flip-flopping over different policies, such as the Green Deal, and there鈥檚 no consistency.鈥�

Davey said the government was boosting green energy supplies: 鈥淲e鈥檙e looking seriously at offshore wind, tidal lagoons such as the one in Swansea, we are being looked at from abroad as a leader in green energy.鈥�

Worthington also criticised the government鈥檚 Green Deal policy: 鈥淭he Green Deal was rushed in, over-promised and got the fundamentals wrong.鈥�