20 ENERGY
POWERING UP INVESTMENT
Electricity North West has plans to bring forward up to £15m of investment in environmental schemes as part of efforts to drive the green recovery from Covid-19.
The company, which is responsible for operating the electricity network across the region, identified 11 projects, including three in Lancashire, that it believes will help it hit its net zero carbon targets.
It then launched a public consultation in February this year, asking businesses and householders to prioritise the schemes on its long- list and suggest any others for consideration.
The company says the projects identified will all support the transition to lower carbon technologies across the region.
It has proposed creating a £1m fund to support proposed electric vehicle charging hubs along major A-roads.
And it is also planning to reinforce the network in Forton, to pave the way for more EV charging points at Lancaster services on the M6.
Paul Bircham, regulation director at Electricity North West, said: “The UK is at a crossroads and whether it hits its decarbonisation targets depends to a great degree on the decisions made right now.
Delivering stretching
environmental ambitions while keeping bills low and not leaving anybody behind is tough
“We have the opportunity to make the environment the focus of our economic recovery from Covid-19, which is exactly what we’re doing here.
“By bringing forward some of these projects, we hope to help lead the North West towards net zero by increasing the capacity of our network and making it easier for people and businesses to adopt the types of new technologies that will be at the heart of our shift away from fossil fuels to a greener economy.”
In April, the company also set out a draft plan to invest almost £2bn in the network before 2028 – and is asking the region for its feedback.
Electricity North West has written the plan following what is already its largest-ever public consultation, a two-year programme which has seen it speak to more than 18,000 people.
That consultation has helped the company find ways to increase investment by nearly half while raising bills by two per cent – however, it is still interested in hearing more from customers before submitting its plans to Ofgem in July.
It says the aim of the plan is to cut the number and duration of power cuts by 20 per cent and go even further in protecting the network from storms and floods.
It is also looking to continue increasing the capacity of the network, so it can accommodate the predicted rise in demand from lower- carbon technologies like electric vehicles and heating.
And it is committed to providing additional support for vulnerable customers to ensure “nobody is left behind” by the region’s shift to becoming a net zero carbon economy.
Investment in the 57,000km of underground and overhead cables it takes to power Lancashire and the North West is paid for out of the energy bills of the region’s 2.4 million homes and businesses.
Over the next decade, demand on that network is set to intensify in line with the government’s targets to cut carbon emissions and become a net zero carbon economy by 2050.
Chief executive Peter Emery said: “The challenge of delivering stretching environmental ambitions on net zero while keeping bills low and making sure we don’t leave anybody behind is tough.
“Our research has shown that 80 per cent of customers are willing to pay an additional £9.80 to achieve our ambitious proposals – but that means 20 per cent are not.
“We have worked hard to find a solution through innovation and efficiencies where we can deliver that high level of investment for just £2.14 extra a year on the average household bill.
“The result of that work would be to facilitate a greener, fairer, more prosperous and more connected future for our region.”
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