Ed Miliband has been accused of “covering up” evidence that Labour’s net zero plans will increase household electricity bills. [some emphasis, links added]
The Conservatives and Britain Remade, a Right-leaning think tank, have claimed that the Energy Secretary is hiding documents that show his decision to scrap major market reforms will cost consumers while benefiting green energy generators.
Mr Miliband abandoned a proposal for regional electricity pricing last year following warnings from wind farm developers that it would torpedo investment and put Labour’s clean power 2030 target in jeopardy.
The Energy Secretary promised to publish a “full cost-benefit analysis” by the end of last year – but his department has so far failed to do this; it has repeatedly blocked the release of an official impact assessment of the policy.
Sam Richards, of Britain Remade, said:
“It’s time for Ed Miliband to come clean on his reckless decision not to reform the energy market by moving to a local pricing model.
“Hiding behind process to stop the release of the impact assessment, after announcing the policy, makes no sense, unless, as suspected, it shows that decisions taken by the energy secretary will in fact raise bills.”
Claire Coutinho, the shadow energy secretary, said:
“Zonal pricing reduces wind developer profits, but it also cuts the cost of building the grid, which is already almost a third of electricity bills.
“Of course, once again Ed Miliband is siding with wind developers over consumers, and now he’s trying to cover up just how much it’s going to cost you.”
Responding to a freedom of information request by The Telegraph, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) – which flouted the rules by taking five months to respond – has argued that the document was never finished and that releasing it now risks creating “confusion and misunderstanding”.
It also claims that “work on the modelling and analysis is still ongoing”, despite simultaneously insisting the policy has been completely ruled out.
After this newspaper’s appeal against that decision, the Energy Department has warned – without providing evidence – that releasing the secret document could “disrupt both energy and financial markets, which would have the potential to affect even domestic energy bills”.
Read rest at The Telegraph
