§ Mr. SwireTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures have been put in place434W to ensure that new offshore wind power projects will have sufficient grid connection points and capacity capabilities to connect the required megawatts. [128128]
§ Mr. TimmsI have stated that transmission licences will apply throughout the strategic areas and I shall legislate to achieve this. Transmission licences covering the strategic areas will provide certainty for generators that there will be a connector of last resort, in addition to providing infrastructure that is efficient, economical and which guards against the owner of the connection wielding market power. DTI and Ofgem are working together to create the necessary regulatory regime and will issue licences in a timely way that ensure that generation and infrastructure development can run concurrently.