Part 3Energy Regulation

Chapter 4Further provisions about regulation

Security of supply

I1172Annual report on security of energy supplies

1

The Secretary of State must, in 2005 and in every subsequent calendar year—

a

publish a report dealing, as regards both the short term and the long term, with the availability of electricity and gas for meeting the reasonable demands of consumers in Great Britain; and

b

lay that report before Parliament.

2

The report must include, in particular, overall assessments, as regards both the short term and the long term, of each of the following—

a

generating capacity in Great Britain and its offshore waters so far as it will be utilised for generating electricity for introduction into transmission systems in Great Britain;

b

the availability of capacity in those systems and in distribution systems in Great Britain for transmitting and distributing electricity for supply to consumers in Great Britain;

c

the availability of capacity in infrastructure in Great Britain for use in connection with the introduction of gas into licensed pipe-line systems in Great Britain; and

d

the availability of capacity in those systems for conveying gas to consumers in Great Britain.

3

The report must be prepared jointly by the Secretary of State and GEMA.

4

In this section—

  • “consumers” includes both existing and future consumers;

  • “distributing”, “distribution system”, “transmission system” and “transmitting” have the same meanings as in Part 1 of the 1989 Act;

  • “gas” and “gas transporter” have the same meanings as in Part 1 of the Gas Act 1986 (c. 44);

  • “infrastructure” includes pipe-line systems, terminals and other facilities but does not include licensed pipe-line systems;

  • “licensed pipe-line system” means a pipe-line system that is operated by a gas transporter for the conveyance of gas to any premises or another pipe-line system as authorised by his licence under section 7 of that Act;

  • “offshore waters” means, in relation to Great Britain—

    1. a

      so much of the territorial sea of the United Kingdom as is adjacent to Great Britain; and

    2. b

      waters in a Renewable Energy Zone (within the meaning of Chapter 2 of Part 2 of this Act).