Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced the launch of Great British (GB) Grid, the first direct state-owned electricity network since privatisation.
The publicly owned organisation will be a branch of Great British (GB) Energy, aimed at reducing connection times and bringing energy costs closer to European countries within the next decade.
The Prime Minister said: “You would not believe how many businesses complain to me that they can’t get going because they can’t get connected to the grid. It pushes costs up, it drags growth down and it holds Britain back.”
Burnham also said that GB Grid will invest in grid infrastructure and work alongside existing network companies rather than replacing them.
To achieve this, GB Grid is expected to bring change by challenging the private sector operators.
The Prime Minister added: “It will increase competition, drive down costs and speed up connections. So businesses can expand and grow more quickly.”
During his speech, Burnham also reflected on the progress made with “homegrown renewables” so far this year.
Despite there still not being an official verdict on both the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil rigs, Burnham said the government will be “pragmatic” in relation to the North Sea as he vowed to work towards a “clean energy future and face the climate crisis”.
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