Citizens Advice's response to Ofgem's Eastern HVDC – Consultation on the project’s Final Needs Case
We are responding to this consultation because we think there is urgency and significant risk in delivering the infrastructure critical to support net zero at an affordable cost to consumers.
The impact assessment on the Eastern HVDC shows a positive value proposition for consumers due to the scale of avoided constraint costs that can be achieved by a number of Eastern HVDC options. This creates a clear positive case for a number of design options, even with likely time and cost overruns.
We are however concerned that local planning processes haven’t been completed and that the proposed ‘conditional’ decision by Ofgem does not have any weight in the planning process. We are aware of the Energy Transmission Network Review and the recent Energy Security Strategy which seek to support the delivery of infrastructure critical to achieving Net-Zero. Yet, the forthcoming changes appear unlikely in the short term to de-risk the delivery of urgently needed developments such as the Eastern HVDC. Based on the impact assessment there is a strong case for national energy planning and local impact processes that will support an affordable transition.