BPF Criticises Contradictory Comments from Government on Energy

The regulator OFGEM has warned that the risk of blackouts had doubled in less than a year because replacement of old coal and gas power plants was so slow.  The National Grid has suggested large consumers including plastics companies may have to lower use on weekdays in the winter of 2015.

Energy Minister Michael Fallon MP said yesterday “I can assure you the lights are not going to go out”.

Peter Davis Director-General of the BPF said Michael Fallon’s reassurance contradicts the letter the BPF received in April from his boss Ed Davey MP. In his letter Mr Davey wrote on gas: “only in extreme circumstances is there a risk of a loss of supply to small businesses and domestic consumers”.  Mr Davis said “so medium and large companies are at risk of blackouts”.

The BPF has since 2006 met successive Energy Ministers to point out that future UK energy supplies will not equal demand.

The BPF’s proposals to Government are:

The Plastics Industry needs the certainty of affordable power supplies to keep and attract investment in the UK.

Our proposals were:   

·        A drive for gas powered generation is only a medium-term answer.  But planning permission must be fast tracked for these stations and also for a big expansion in gas storage.

·        We need a fast timetable for new nuclear power generation replacing our ageing capacity.

·        Government must rapidly increase Energy from Waste power generation using unrecyclables to provide local community heat and power.

·        We welcome the Government’s incentivisation of Shale gas exploration, where the UK has 40 years reserves.  But realistically this will only come on stream in 2020. 

Peter Davis said “We are facing blackouts for companies from the winter of 2015”.                                                        

ENDS

For all media enquiries, BPF logos and images, please contact Philip Law, Public and Industrial Affairs Director on 0207 457 5000 or email [email protected]  

Note to Editor:

British Plastics Federation (BPF) is the UK trade association for the plastics industry – representing

the whole supply chain including polymer producers, distributors, additives suppliers, machinery

manufacturers, processors and recyclers.