Shadow energy minister Baroness Worthington appealed in vain to the government to break its silence on the status of discussions with EDF Energy over its proposed new nuclear plant at Hinkley Point.
As the Energy Bill reached its final committee hearing in the Lords, she pointed out that EDF had not mentioned the project once in the 17 pages of its half-year 2013 results. Nor were details forthcoming in the government’s Electricity Market Reform draft delivery plan, published last month (see analysis, page 11).
“There is such a degree of silence, it makes people unnecessarily suspicious,” said Baroness Worthington. “One negotiation should not require this degree of special treatment.”
Baroness Verma, parliamentary undersecretary for energy and climate change, assured her opposite number: “While it has gone quiet, we are in very close discussions.”
She also said the department was talking to “a number” of CCS developers.
The debate was the last in a heated series. At an earlier hearing, Baroness Worthington accused the government of “rigging the market in favour of new-build gas” and creating a “windfall” for old coal through its proposed capacity market.
Baroness Verma countered that the capacity market design would ensure security of supply “at least cost to consumers”.