Third Delegated Legislation Committee
7 July 2026
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Third Delegated Legislation Committee House of Commons
00:03 - 00:19
Speaker 1
Draft Contracts for Difference (Definition of Eligible Generator) (Amendment) Regulations 2026. Thank you. And before I call the Minister, gentlemen members, please relieve yourself of your jacket if you feel so inclined in this hot weather. I now call Minister Michael Shanks.
00:19 - 02:26
Speaker 2
Thank you, Mr. Wishart. Not willing to be half jacket on, half jacket off in my speech, I'll continue as I am at the moment, but it's a genuine pleasure to serve under your tutorship for the first time. Um, can I move the draft Contracts for Difference (Definition of Eligible Generator) (Amendment) Regulations 2026, which were laid before the House on the 14th of May 2026. The Contracts for Difference scheme is the government's primary way of incentivizing low-carbon capacity in the electricity system. This instrument seeks to make changes to the scheme's eligibility criteria to include the lifetime extension of nuclear plants.
Nuclear power is anticipated to play a key role in the UK's future energy system. By generating baseload power in the UK, nuclear energy can complement renewable sources, helping to maintain price stability for consumers and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. It also lessens our reliance on the imports from overseas, which strengthens our energy security. However, in the coming decades, the UK's current operational nuclear fleet, including the four advanced gas-cooled reactors and Sizewell B, the UK's only pressurized water reactor, are due to begin decommissioning. This means that around 15% of our current electricity generating capacity could be lost by 2035.
Now, while the government continues to take forward its wider nuclear program through Sizewell C and through the Great British Energy Nuclear SMR program, we should also make sure that suitable mechanisms are available to support continued generation at existing nuclear stations where financial support is necessary and likely to represent value for money. In the absence of that support, nuclear power plant operators may choose not to make the investment necessary to extend the operational lifetimes. Before turning to the provisions in more detail, I'll just set out some very brief background on the Contracts for Difference scheme. This is the government's main mechanism for supporting low-carbon electricity generation across Great Britain. Under a CFD, the generator is paid a fixed price for electricity across the lifetime of the contract.
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