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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| UK's coal plants to be phased out within 10 years | UK's coal plants to be phased out within 10 years |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The UK's remaining coal-fired power stations will be shut by 2025 with their use restricted by 2023, Energy Secretary Amber Rudd has announced. | The UK's remaining coal-fired power stations will be shut by 2025 with their use restricted by 2023, Energy Secretary Amber Rudd has announced. |
| Ms Rudd wants more gas-fired stations to be built since relying on "polluting" coal is "perverse". | Ms Rudd wants more gas-fired stations to be built since relying on "polluting" coal is "perverse". |
| "We need to give a clear signal to people who are in the market for building gas stations that coal will no longer crowd out new gas." | "We need to give a clear signal to people who are in the market for building gas stations that coal will no longer crowd out new gas." |
| Environmentalists are concerned little is being done to promote renewables. | Environmentalists are concerned little is being done to promote renewables. |
| 'Energy crisis' | 'Energy crisis' |
| Currently, coal provides almost a third (28%) of the UK's electricity, but Ms Rudd said "We are tackling a legacy of underinvestment and ageing power stations which we need to replace with alternatives that are reliable, good value for money and help to reduce emissions." | Currently, coal provides almost a third (28%) of the UK's electricity, but Ms Rudd said "We are tackling a legacy of underinvestment and ageing power stations which we need to replace with alternatives that are reliable, good value for money and help to reduce emissions." |
| Ms Rudd also said investment in nuclear power is vital to the government's policy. | Ms Rudd also said investment in nuclear power is vital to the government's policy. |
| She believes that plans for new nuclear power stations, including at Wylfa in Wales and Moorside in Cumbria, could eventually provide almost a third of the low carbon electricity the UK needs. | |
| The speech comes amid concerns that the UK could suffer from blackouts as a result of short supplies, brought about in large part from the closure of a number of power stations that have come to the end of their working lives. | The speech comes amid concerns that the UK could suffer from blackouts as a result of short supplies, brought about in large part from the closure of a number of power stations that have come to the end of their working lives. |
| Tony Lodge, who has published a report on the UK's energy needs for the Centre for Policy Studies, said Britain is on the verge of an "energy crisis" with electricity demand set to outstrip available supply in the near future. | Tony Lodge, who has published a report on the UK's energy needs for the Centre for Policy Studies, said Britain is on the verge of an "energy crisis" with electricity demand set to outstrip available supply in the near future. |
| "We have called for an independent person separate from government to give a lead on security of supply. If we don't have that we could be in real trouble in 18 months." | "We have called for an independent person separate from government to give a lead on security of supply. If we don't have that we could be in real trouble in 18 months." |
| However, National Grid and many experts have dismissed these concerns. | However, National Grid and many experts have dismissed these concerns. |
| Analysis: John Moylan, BBC industry correspondent | Analysis: John Moylan, BBC industry correspondent |
| Successive governments have highlighted our energy dilemma - the need to keep the lights on, while cutting greenhouse gases and ensuring energy is affordable for consumers. | Successive governments have highlighted our energy dilemma - the need to keep the lights on, while cutting greenhouse gases and ensuring energy is affordable for consumers. |
| Today the Energy Secretary Amber Rudd will focus on energy security and keeping prices as low as possible. | Today the Energy Secretary Amber Rudd will focus on energy security and keeping prices as low as possible. |
| But for the world's first industrialised nation to end coal-powered generation sends a strong signal ahead of the UN Climate summit in Paris. | But for the world's first industrialised nation to end coal-powered generation sends a strong signal ahead of the UN Climate summit in Paris. |
| All the major parties had signed up to phasing out coal. The previous government's projections saw it falling to 1% by 2025. | All the major parties had signed up to phasing out coal. The previous government's projections saw it falling to 1% by 2025. |
| The big question is how to ensure gas plants are built to replace it. Only one large plant is under construction today. Another, which secured a subsidy last year, is struggling to find investors. | The big question is how to ensure gas plants are built to replace it. Only one large plant is under construction today. Another, which secured a subsidy last year, is struggling to find investors. |
| The government was criticised earlier this year for cutting renewable energy subsidies. | The government was criticised earlier this year for cutting renewable energy subsidies. |
| Ms Rudd said that such subsidies must be carefully focused on technologies that offer the best value for money, fitting into a "consumer-led, competition-focused energy system". | Ms Rudd said that such subsidies must be carefully focused on technologies that offer the best value for money, fitting into a "consumer-led, competition-focused energy system". |
| Professor Paul Ekins, an expert on resources and environmental policy at University College London, said the government had "abandoned" the cheapest forms of power - onshore wind and solar energy. | Professor Paul Ekins, an expert on resources and environmental policy at University College London, said the government had "abandoned" the cheapest forms of power - onshore wind and solar energy. |
| He said: "We need some gas fired stations, but in tandem with investment in renewables and nuclear. It is the investment in renewables that is being cut back to an enormous extent." | |
| He said the government keeps changing course on its energy policy and this was discouraging investment. | He said the government keeps changing course on its energy policy and this was discouraging investment. |
| Ms Rudd's speech comes ahead of the UN summit on climate change in Paris in December, aimed at securing a new climate change agreement, which is expected to include pressure for targets to eliminate global emissions and phase out fossil fuels. | Ms Rudd's speech comes ahead of the UN summit on climate change in Paris in December, aimed at securing a new climate change agreement, which is expected to include pressure for targets to eliminate global emissions and phase out fossil fuels. |
| 'Like an alcoholic' | 'Like an alcoholic' |
| Environmental group Friends of the Earth welcomed the phasing out of coal, but criticised the new emphasis on gas. | Environmental group Friends of the Earth welcomed the phasing out of coal, but criticised the new emphasis on gas. |
| "Switching from coal to gas is like an alcoholic switching from two bottles of whisky a day to two bottles of port," senior energy campaigner Simon Bullock said. | "Switching from coal to gas is like an alcoholic switching from two bottles of whisky a day to two bottles of port," senior energy campaigner Simon Bullock said. |
| The GMB union's national secretary for energy Brian Strutton welcomed Ms Rudd's statement but added: "Government needs to get on with addressing the urgent need for nuclear power stations and gas-fired stations to supply reliable power. | The GMB union's national secretary for energy Brian Strutton welcomed Ms Rudd's statement but added: "Government needs to get on with addressing the urgent need for nuclear power stations and gas-fired stations to supply reliable power. |
| "The investment will only happen when the framework is right, which it is not now." | "The investment will only happen when the framework is right, which it is not now." |