Lincolnshire key to ensure UK not at "whims of dictators" for energy says Minister
Nick Thomas-Symonds has visited a crucial energy infrastructure project in Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire has a key role to play in the UK's energy security, a Government minister tells us.
Nick Thomas-Symonds, Minister for EU Relations, has visited the Viking Link interconnector near Boston - it transfers clean energy under the sea between Lincolnshire and Denmark.
The Government says the recent EU-UK trade deal will bring increased investment to Lincolnshire's growing green energy sector.
The Minister for EU Relations believes this will help stop the UK's reliance on states like Russia: "Making sure we have the energy security, making sure we are not at mercy of the whims of dictators like President Putin is incredibly important and a priority for this Government going forward," said Thomas-Symonds.
The UK and EU reached an agreement to reintegrate their energy markets in May, as part of the UK-EU Summit.
This included a focus on clean energy technologies and streamlined electricity trading.
"What we will be able to do in implementing the deal between the UK and EU is to trade energy, to trade electricity far more efficiently across that interconnector," said Thomas-Symonds.
"We'll be able to use this Viking interconnector far more effectively to lower peoples bills.
"But also, this is about having that stability going forward to attract more investment in the energy and technology sectors," he added.
Lincolnshire is fast becoming a green energy hub, with over a dozen solar farms at different stages of planning.
There's also a 140km mile pylon line planned from Grimsby to Norfolk, which will transfer off-shore wind energy to the South of England.
These projects have faced major backlash from locals, but due to their size are considered Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) - meaning government makes the final decision on each planning application, not the local council.
"Whether you are for or against these projects, one thing everybody can agree on is that the planning process has just been too cumbersome and too slow," said Thomas-Symonds.
"What we're looking to do as a government is to speed up those decisions."