UK energy minister admits spatial plan should have been ready earlier

Britain’s energy minister has acknowledged that the national strategic spatial energy plan should have been established significantly earlier than its current timeline. Michael Shanks stated that the framework, which outlines optimal locations for electricity and hydrogen generation and storage, ought to have been in place a long time ago. This admission comes as the government prepares to select a preferred pathway from a set of options developed by the National Energy System Operator.

Shanks emphasised that the plan must balance the need for a coherent energy system design with the imperative to avoid imposing huge costs on consumers. He noted that the strategy must also accommodate expensive floating wind schemes in Scotland, recognising the sector as a major opportunity despite its challenges. The minister stressed that the government’s primary focus remains on tackling the affordability crisis and reducing energy bills for households and businesses across the United Kingdom.

The National Energy System Operator has identified six potential pathways for the plan, which are currently under review by energy secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh. There are concerns that only two of these options adequately cover Scotland’s offshore wind farms and associated grid connections. This has prompted warnings from Scottish leadership that a failure to realise regional opportunities could create a challenging situation for the renewable sector. Scottish first minister John Swinney and energy secretary Stephen Gethins have both expressed reservations about the potential impact on Scotland’s full potential.

During a visit to Aberdeen, Shanks clarified that the selection process should not be viewed as a binary choice where one path excludes all others. He described the strategic spatial energy plan as the first of its kind for Britain, aiming to achieve a more coherent design for the overall energy system. The minister highlighted the government’s efforts through Great British Energy and the Crown Estate to crowd in investment and build infrastructure, while simultaneously working to lower the cost of floating offshore wind technology.

Shanks acknowledged that floating wind is a really expensive technology, requiring careful consideration of procurement affordability. Despite these costs, he affirmed that the government remains hugely ambitious about the future of offshore wind across Britain, with important projects in Scotland set to remain a priority. The plan aims to build the grid in the most rational way possible to support this transition.

The National Energy System Operator was commissioned to develop the plan in 2024 and submitted its pathway options to the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero in August. Once a preferred pathway is chosen, it will undergo a consultation period before being finalised in 2027. This process is intended to ensure that the energy system is designed with long-term coherence and efficiency in mind.