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Draft National Policy Statement for Fossil Fuel Electricity Generating Infrastructure (EN-2)

My Lords, I assure the noble Lord that my department, in taking forward work in relation to the Severn, has looked carefully at previous studies. In relation to each of the shortlisted schemes, careful cost/benefit analysis has been undertaken. However, noble Lords will have an opportunity to debate these matters in the summer, when the Government publish the outcome of the work. I turn to the question of wind, which we debate on a frequent basis. I am not sure that noble Lords in Grand Committee will come to agreement. I will pick up on the point made by the noble Lord, Lord Teverson. Noble Lords will know that I am passionate about the potential of nuclear energy; but wind power has a role to play, too. They are not mutually exclusive. There is strong evidence to suggest that we should develop different technologies. In terms of energy security, it makes a great deal of sense to have a variety of technologies. The intermittency issue is well known, but individual turbines generate power 78 per cent of the time. Most of the time it is possible to generate significant amounts of electricity from wind. Wind energy is the renewable energy most able to deliver serious amounts of power. We have the best wind resource in Europe and it makes no sense not to use it.