Energy Act 2023

53 Cooperation of storage licensing authority with economic regulator U.K.

(1) In Chapter 3 of Part 1 of the Energy Act 2008 (storage of carbon dioxide), after section 34 insert—

“34A Cooperation with economic regulator

(1) This section applies where a licence holder also holds a relevant licence.

(2) The licensing authority who granted the licence to the licence holder must provide such assistance as the economic regulator may reasonably require in carrying out its functions in relation to the relevant licence.

(3) The licensing authority must, in particular, inform the economic regulator if it becomes aware of—

(a) circumstances that have arisen, or are likely to arise, in relation to the activities authorised by the licence which, in the opinion of the licensing authority, could affect the carrying on of activities authorised by the relevant licence;

(b) circumstances that have arisen, or are likely to arise, in which the licence or a storage permit granted under the licence may be terminated.

(4) In this section—

• “economic regulator” has the same meaning as in Part 1 of the Energy Act 2023 (see section 55 of that Act);

• “relevant licence” means a licence under section 7 of the Energy Act 2023;

• “storage permit” means a storage permit within the meaning of—

  (a)

  regulation 1(3) of the Storage of Carbon Dioxide (Licensing etc) Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/2221), or

  (b)

  regulation 1(3) of the Storage of Carbon Dioxide (Licensing etc) (Scotland) Regulations 2011 (S.S.I. 2011/24).

34B Information sharing with economic regulator

(1) A licensing authority may provide information relating to a licence or a storage permit granted under a licence to the economic regulator for the purpose of enabling or facilitating the exercise of the economic regulator’s functions in relation to a relevant licence.

(2) Except as provided by subsection (3), the disclosure of information under this section does not breach—

(a) any obligation of confidence owed by the person making the disclosure, or

(b) any other restriction on the disclosure of information (however imposed).

(3) This section does not authorise or require a disclosure of information if the disclosure would contravene the data protection legislation (but in determining whether a disclosure would do so, the power conferred by subsection (1) is to be taken into account).

(4) In this section—

• “the data protection legislation” has the same meaning as in the Data Protection Act 2018 (see section 3 of that Act);

• “economic regulator”, “relevant licence” and “storage permit” have the same meaning as in section 34A;

• “information” includes advice.”

(2) In section 8 of the Energy Act 2016 (matters to which the Oil and Gas Authority must have regard), in subsection (1), in the paragraph headed “Collaboration”, after “government of the United Kingdom” insert “, with the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority,”.

Commencement Information

I1 S. 53 in force at 26.12.2023, see s. 334(3)(a)