View source for Earth:Energy Act 2013

{{Infobox UK legislation
|short_title          = Energy Act 2013
|parliament           = Parliament of the United Kingdom
|long_title           = An Act to make provision for the setting of a decarbonisation target range and duties in relation to it; for or in connection with reforming the [[Engineering:Electricity market|electricity market]] for purposes of encouraging low carbon electricity generation or ensuring security of supply; for the establishment and functions of the Office for Nuclear Regulation; about the government pipe-line and storage system and rights exercisable in relation to it;  about the designation of a strategy and policy statement; about domestic supplies of gas and electricity; for extending categories of activities for which energy licences are required; for the making of orders requiring regulated persons to provide redress to consumers of gas or electricity; about offshore transmission of electricity during a commissioning period; for imposing fees in connection with certain costs incurred by the Secretary of State; and for connected purposes.
|statute_book_chapter = 
|introduced_by        = Ed Davey
|territorial_extent   = England, Wales, Scotland
|royal_assent         = 18 December 2013
|commencement         = 
|repeal_date          =
|amendments           =
|related_legislation  = Energy Act 2010
|repealing_legislation=
|status               = Amended
|original_text        = https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/2012-2013/0135/2013135.pdf
|use_new_UK-LEG       = no
|legislation_history  = http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2012-13/energy.html
}}

The '''Energy Act 2013''' is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, relating to the energy sector. It succeeded the Energy Act 2010. The Act focuses on setting decarbonisation targets for the UK, and reforming the electricity market. The Act was intended by Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Ed Davey to "attract investment to bring about a once-in-a-generation transformation of our electricity market".<ref name=nuclear>{{cite news|last=Bakewell|first=Sally|title=U.K. Nuclear Push Gains With Bill to Revamp Power Market|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-11-29/u-k-nuclear-push-advances-with-bill-to-revamp-power-market.html|newspaper=Bloomberg|date=29 November 2012 |access-date=26 February 2013}}</ref>

==History==
The Energy Bill was introduced by the government in the House of Commons for first reading on 29 November 2012,<ref>{{cite web|title=Bill Documents|url=http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2012-13/energy/documents.html|publisher=UK Parliament|access-date=26 February 2013}}</ref> and passed a vote at third reading with cross-party support on 4 June 2013. The Bill received Royal Assent on 18 December 2013.<ref>{{cite web|title=Energy Act 2013|url=http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2012-13/energy.html|publisher=UK Parliament|access-date=19 June 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2013/32/contents|title=Energy Act 2013}}</ref>

==Aims==
The Act aims to maintain a stable electricity supply as [[Finance:Coal-fired power station|coal-fired power station]]s are retired.<ref name=nuclear/> This includes facilitating the building of a new set of nuclear power stations and the establishment of a new regulator, the [[Organization:Office for Nuclear Regulation|Office for Nuclear Regulation]].

The Act proposes a delay in setting decarbonisation targets under the Climate Change Act 2008, until 2016. Businesses and analysts have criticised the uncertainty this causes for investors, notably Balfour Beatty<ref>{{cite web|title=Energy Bill amendment could boost green construction|url=http://www.building.co.uk/sustainability/sustainability-news/energy-bill-amendment-could-boost-green-construction/5050066.article|publisher=Building.co.uk|access-date=26 February 2013}}</ref> and Ernst & Young.<ref>{{cite web|title="Once in a generation" UK Energy Bill falls short of expectations |url=http://www.commodities-now.com/reports/power-and-energy/13955-once-in-a-generation-uk-energy-bill-falls-short-of-expectations.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130408004859/http://www.commodities-now.com/reports/power-and-energy/13955-once-in-a-generation-uk-energy-bill-falls-short-of-expectations.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=8 April 2013 |publisher=Commodities Now |access-date=26 February 2013 }}</ref> Conservative MP Tim Yeo and Labour MP Barry Gardiner tabled amendments to the Bill to reinsert a 2030 decarbonisation target for the power sector by 2014.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sticking point? -- The 2030 decarbonisation target debate|url=http://www.cornwallenergy.com/Opinion/Sticking-point-The-2030-decarbonisation-target-debate|website=Cornwall Energy|access-date=23 September 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Hopes for green investment boost from Energy Bill amendment|url=http://www.bdonline.co.uk/sustainability/hopes-for-green-investment-boost-from-energy-bill-amendment/5050434.article|access-date=26 February 2013}}</ref>

The Act also enables the government to privatise the Government Pipelines and Storage System.

==See also==
*[[Earth:Energy policy of the United Kingdom|Energy policy of the United Kingdom]]
*Nuclear power in the United Kingdom

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Climate change policy]]



{{Sourceattribution|Energy Act 2013}}