SSE has launched its manifesto ahead of the General Election setting out its recommendations to deliver affordable, secure and low-carbon energy for the future.
The British energy market is at a critical juncture, balancing the competing challenges of delivering affordable prices electricity and gas at a price that will be affordable for customers and businesses whilst ensuring secure energy suppliers and the certainty needed to invest in low-carbon.
SSE is making six proposals to the current and future Government which will offer sustainable solutions for the future.
These are:
Energy efficiency polices should be redesigned after the ECO ends in 2017 so they are ambitious, targeted at households in need and no longer funded in a regressive way.
The smart meter roll-out should be authoritatively and independently reviewed to ensure it is cost-effective.
The capacity market must be maintained to ensure secure energy supplies.
The Levy Control Framework should be set-out until at least 2025 to give clarity and certainty to low-carbon investors.
Introduce a Market Stability Reserve in the EU ETS in 2017 to encourage low-carbon investment.
The Carbon Price Floor should be set over a five year period and not subject to change.
SSE believes there is no silver bullet to meet the challenges facing the GB energy market but all policy proposals need to be assessed for their impacts on consumers, businesses and investors. These proposals should be considered by the incoming Government to help meet the overriding objectives of UK energy policy.