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Electricity Generation: Infrastructure

Asked by Julia BuckleyLabourDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled Answered 25 July 2025UIN 68914

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has considered the potential merits of applying the same land access arrangements for distribution network operators as currently apply for other utilities.

Answered by Michael Shanks

DESNZ published a consultation on consents, land access and rights for electricity network infrastructure on 8 July. It sets out a package of reforms intended to reduce delays to essential works and support the upgrade and maintenance of electricity infrastructure. The proposals include clarifying access rights for both distribution and transmission operators, ensuring they have appropriate powers to access land, including adjacent third-party land, and aligning rights for distribution network operators to install infrastructure in private streets with other utilities, such as telecoms.

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