§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the supply obligation on electricity generators; and what plans he has to review the buy-out option available to companies supplying electricity.[126099]
§ Mrs. LiddellThe Utilities Bill will provide the powers to place an obligation on licensed suppliers of electricity to supply a proportion of their supplies from renewable sources of energy. The new provisions will enable suppliers to buy-out all or part of their obligation as an alternative to supplying renewables electricity as a means of protecting consumers from excessive costs. Later this year, I intend to consult on the level of the obligation, the level of the buy-out price option and the system of allocation by which the proceeds from the buy-out payments will be recycled.