Overview
- Downing Street rejected reports that the government is preparing to miss or drop the 2030 goal, calling the claims "completely wrong."
- Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said the UK "won’t buy at any price" and pledged to secure the right amount of capacity at the right price as the next procurement round nears.
- Industry experts say roughly 8 gigawatts of new generation in the upcoming auction is needed to keep the 2030 objective within reach, and commissioning far less would likely put it out of reach.
- The Tony Blair Institute urged a pivot to cheaper power by 2030 with measures including strict auction cost caps, locational pricing, planning reform, and suspending some carbon charges on gas; the government says it is delivering many policies but has ruled out zonal pricing.
- Environmental groups warn that weakening the target would hit investor confidence and jobs, while some analysts caution Labour’s promised £300 bill cut could be eroded if offshore wind and grid costs remain high.