Government admits prospect of blackouts

Information uncovered by Conservatives today reveals that the Government is expecting power cuts across Britain by 2017.

For the first time since the 1970s consumers will be told to prepare for blackouts because the supply of electricity will fail to meet demand at peak times, according to new government figures.

Shadow Energy and Climate Change Secretary, Greg Clark today blamed the Government for putting “its head in the sand about Britain’s energy policy for a decade”.

Over the next few years many power stations will come to the end of their lives or will be required to close by EU law, but the Government has failed to ensure that replacements are available in time.

As a result, by 2017 the Government has pencilled in power cuts expected to be around 3000 megawatt hours per year - this is the equivalent of the whole Nottingham urban area being without electricity for a day.

Clark added that the next government “has an urgent task to accelerate the deployment of a new generating capacity, and to take steps to ensure, that as a matter of national security, there is enough capacity to provide a robust margin of safety.”

Clark calls for energy ratings of public buildings to be published

Greg Clark has introduced a Parliamentary Bill that would force Ministers to publish details of the energy ratings of all Government buildings.

Ministers already hold records showing the energy efficiency of Government buildings, but have so far refused to publish them in a single location.

Greg, the Shadow Energy and Climate Change Secretary, said, “Our Bill will ensure that Government is open and honest about the energy efficiency of public buildings.”

And he stressed that publishing this information would “allow people to see what progress the Government is making on the energy efficiency of its own buildings.”

Answers to Parliamentary Questions have already revealed:

• More that one in three Government buildings – including the Department of Energy and Climate Change - have been given the worst possible 'G' rating for energy efficiency
• Averaged over all buildings, the Government estate receives the second worst possible 'F' rating

Greg warned, “Despite Labour’s promises to improve the efficiency of the Government estate, the reality is that more than a third of Government buildings are in the worst possible band for efficiency.”

And he pledged that a Conservative Government would publish online a full list of energy performance certificates and ensure public buildings are in the top quartile for energy performance.

Clark welcomes global climate deal manifesto

Greg Clark has described the launch of the Government’s global climate deal manifesto as a “positive development” – but warned that time is running out.

The Shadow Minister for Energy and Climate Change said, "The Prime Minister's three stated principles are all welcome: ambition, effectiveness and fairness. I would like to add a fourth: urgency."

Greg stressed, "With negotiations due to conclude at Copenhagen in December, time is running out – for us and for the world’s poorest people.”

He said the UK has "a vital role" to play in securing a deal - but stressed we must also lead by example "here at home":

"Despite the many fine words and no shortage of targets, Britain is wallowing third from last in the EU renewable energy league tables and emissions have flat-lined over the past decade when they should have been falling."

"We must push for a strong and effective deal at Copenhagen but let’s also practise at home what we preach abroad."