Politicians propose power strategy debate delay

Two politicians want to delay the electricity strategy debate until September

An attempt to delay a States of Guernsey debate on a new electricity strategy has been described by the strategy's proposer as more evidence of the assembly being the "States of inaction".

Environment and Infrastructure (E&I) President Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez said the delay to her proposed strategy was “not logical”.

Policy and Resources member Deputy Bob Murray and former E&I Vice-President Sam Haskins have proposed the delay.

They said the debate should happen in September, once the States had decided on its priorities as part of the Government Work Plan.

The strategy, which could lead to an offshore windfarm off Guernsey, more solar power and a new electricity cable to France, is scheduled for debate this week.

Representatives of the local energy industry, including the Little Green Energy Group and the Confederation of Guernsey Industry, have voiced support for the proposals.

The strategy, which is E&I’s preferred option on future power production, could cost the States about £1.7bn up to 2050.

However, Mr Murray said debating the strategy before the Government Work Plan (GWP) presented two risks.

The first was that “commitments might be made in isolation of full comprehension of the additional implications upon available government resources to deliver the rest of the requirements subsequently desired by the assembly to support the GWP reset".

The second was that the proposals were “silent on their affordability”.

Deputy de Sausmarez said the proposed delay was a “surprise” and disappointing.

Deputies agreed the debate on the strategy should happen at the States meeting on Wednesday 5 July at the end of the June States' meeting.

Deputy de Sausmarez said: “We’ve got a whole industry which has been waiting for some strategic direction so that they can make the commercial investment decisions they are very keen to make.

“Until the States gets on and gives them that strategic decision, they can’t really progress.”

Guernsey’s Chamber of Commerce criticised any debate delay, stating a decision due to be debated on whether a new power cable connecting to France should be built was needed “urgently".

James Ede Golightly, vice president of the chamber, said: “We need a second cable; this is the key enabler for all of the other proposals in the policy.

“This decision cannot be delayed.

"It’s urgent we get on with this to allow the island to continue the great job it’s done decarbonising our electricity.

"And it will also be instrumental in the enablement of constructing offshore wind generating assets and significant on-island solar power.”