The Industry and Regulators Committee of the UK House of Lords has warned the Government that, unless urgent action is taken, the country risks missing its clean energy targets — specifically, the goal of decarbonizing the power system by at least 95% by 2030. 566t1z

The Committee emphasized the urgent need to drastically increase the scale and pace of building new generation infrastructure and expanding the electricity grid.

In its report titled Power Struggle: Developing Britain's Electricity Grid Infrastructure, the Committee suggested that regional zonal pricing could enable better use of existing grid capacity and help reduce electricity costs — provided the transition and associated risks are carefully managed.

The report concluded that reforms to grid connection queues are a positive step, but currently focus too heavily on projects required before 2030. As a result, other critical projects, such as solar energy and battery storage, may face delays.

It also recommended that greater strategic energy system planning is needed to accelerate regulatory approvals and planning processes for new grid projects.

The Committee further noted that the Government must carefully assess the impact of zonal pricing on both generators and consumers — especially those unable to respond flexibly to price signals.

To meet the targets, the Committee urged the Government to publish key performance metrics every six months to track progress toward the clean energy goal — including the successful delivery of grid projects.

It also stressed the need for clear guidance to Ofgem on how to balance competing objectives such as keeping energy bills affordable, encouraging investment for decarbonization, and ensuring a secure energy supply, among other priorities.

The Chair of the Committee, Baroness Taylor of Bolton, stated: "The electricity grid is essential to modern life — for homes, businesses, and transport connections. Recent power outages in Spain, Portugal, and at Heathrow have shown just how devastating such disruptions can be."