Britain’s energy security will be put at risk by relying on EU power imports after Brexit
Experts say the subsidies will mean higher bills for UK households
BREXIT BRITAIN’s energy security will be put at risk because of plans to rely on a huge increase in electricity imports from Europe to keep the lights on – analysts claim.
In a report seen by The Sun, Ministers are panned for failing to build enough power stations and instead hoping electricity will flow through a new generation of “interconnectors” physically linking the UK to the Continent.
Analysts at consultancy Aurora claim the Government expects four times as much electricity to come through these connections in 2024 than today.
But they claim there’s no guarantee the power will come to the UK given prices on offer in the Continent and problems over the reliability of wind power and other sources in France and Germany.
Imports made up 6 per cent of the UK’s electricity supply last year – but the government expects this to rocket to 22 per cent by 2025.
The subsidies given to foreign operators running the interconnectors will mean even higher bills for households here, experts add.
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Aurora says: “Interconnectors are undoubtedly large infrastructure projects that have the potential to contribute to the UK industrial strategy.
“At the same time this is also true of the domestic generation displaced by interconnection.”
The report comes amid growing fears over delays to new nuclear power stations planned by French giant EDF for Hinkley Point in Somerset and another designed by Japan’s Hitcahi for Anglesey.
A host of new electricity connectors are either under construction or planned between the UK and France, Belgium, Denmark, Norway and Germany over the next decade.