UK Lords Probe Brexit Impact on Energy

The UK upper house of parliament has started its investigation into the effect that leaving the European Union might have on the UK's energy supply. It took evidence from six executives representing companies or research institutes operating in the energy sector for the first time September 6, including National Grid, Energy UK, Chatham House and the Oxford Institute of Energy Studies.

Over the course of the enquiry the House of Lords aims to analyse risks relating to the UK after Brexit, including its use of gas and power interconnectors with the EU; its ability to access the internal energy market; its ability to influence EU energy policy from an external position; and UK reliance on private and foreign investment to fund its energy system.

The end-result will be a report later this year to which the government will have to respond, with a debate in the House of Commons. The House of Lords has been holding a series of short enquiries into the effect of Brexit on other aspects of UK business life since the Brexit referendum of June 2016. Lord Teverson, a Liberal Democrat peer who has chaired the energy and environment sub-committee since May 2016, will conduct the enquiry.

House of Lords' EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee chairman, Robin Teverson (Credit: House of Lords)

William Powell