Alan Whitehead

Latest

Labour puzzled by ‘meaningless announcement’ on gas

There is “no disagreement” between Labour and the government over the need for new gas fired power stations, the shadow energy minister has said, suggesting that ministers have been seeking to “conjure a culture war” out of the issue. In a snap parliamentary debate on the REMA, shadow energy minister Alan Whitehead said he was a “little puzzled” by the announcement, given that the Committee on Climate Change and “all credible energy experts” have said a small residual of unabated gas plant is needed over the medium term and is consistent with a fully decarbonised power system.

1 month ago

Ministers have ‘broken promise’ over social tariff

5 months ago

Labour moots green social tariff

Wholesale market reform could deliver “permanent” social tariffs by scrapping existing “pile it high, sell it cheap” retail arrangements and enabling low income customers to benefit from cheaper, renewable electricity, Alan Whitehead has claimed. In a fringe meeting at the Labour Party conference, the shadow energy security minister outlined what he acknowledged is the opposition’s “not finalized” thinking on reforms to the retail and wholesale markets. If elected, an incoming Labour government’s “day one” priorities would include fixing the electricity grid and setting up its Great British Energy public company, he said.

6 months ago

Labour would hand FSO greater powers

A Labour government would hand greater powers to the Future Systems Operator (FSO) and give its public-owned GB Energy company scope to be lead investor on projects, Alan Whitehead has revealed. In a fringe meeting at the Labour Party Conference, the shadow energy security minister fleshed out the opposition’s reformation plans for the sector while ruling out nationalisation.

6 months ago

ECO scheme ‘beginning to fail’

10 months ago

UK ‘victim of own success’ on grid delays

11 months ago

ECO review launched after warning of ‘unrealistic’ costs

11 months ago

Minister pledges fresh look at automatic credit repayments

A newly appointed energy ministers has said she will take a fresh look at introducing automatic repayments of credit balances. It comes after MPs denounced the retention by suppliers of credit balances on the accounts of direct debit customers and called for an automatic credit repayment mechanism to be devised.

1 year ago

More than 26k PPM warrants granted in just three weeks

1 year ago

Minister admits bills support will be delayed

1 year ago

Energy market can’t just be ‘stitched together again’

2 years ago

Red tape ‘may impede’ floating wind rollout

2 years ago

Desire to cut Russian gas use spurs heat pump appetite

A third of people say they would be more likely to get an electric heat pump in order to help insulate the UK from Russian interference in the gas market, according to a new poll. This proportion rises to 49% among those living in those homes, which are ready to install a heat pump because they are sufficiently well insulated.

2 years ago

Labour: ‘No need’ for 12GW of nuclear generation by 2035

4 years ago

Whitehead re-appointed to Labour’s energy brief

Alan Whitehead has retained the post of shadow energy minister in Labour’s remodelled front bench Parliamentary team. As part of the reshuffle, Whitehead’s responsibility for climate change has been split off into a separate portfolio.

4 years ago

Will the sun set on the energy price cap in 2023?

With Ofgem recently publishing its framework for assessing whether effective competition exists to remove the price cap, industry experts have voiced their concerns about the smart meter rollout being an indicator of success. A legislative “sunset clause” stipulates the cap will end in 2023, but some commentators remain sceptical.

5 years ago

Price cap ‘could lead to 10,000 job losses this year’

5 years ago

Spending review ‘an insult’ to climate change agenda

Utility Week speaks to Labour’s energy spokesman Alan Whitehead about what he called “empty words” in the spending review about climate change. Whitehead said the £30 million set aside for new decarbonisation projects made “almost no difference to the massive challenge ahead" and predicated a public backlash.

5 years ago

Is RAB the key to de-risking nuclear?

5 years ago

New government faces same old pressures

Do Boris Johnson’s wholesale cabinet changes signal an end to the policy logjam? David Blackman reports.

5 years ago