Electricity Supply Bord

Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor: The latest evolution of General Electric’s Boiling Water Reactor design, using passive circulation for normal operations and simplified, passive safety systems. The intention is that the design's simplicity improves the overall safety of the plant, provides more location options, and yields improved economics and operational flexibility. GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy is the owner of the ESBWR.

Early Site Clearance: Modern PWRs incorporate a range of design features which facilitate decommissioning, including the use of shielding and barriers to minimise the radioactive activation or contamination of equipment, the design of systems to minimise the creation, transportation and deposition of radioactivity and the use of materials which minimise the creation of radioactive activation products. As a consequence there is less benefit from deferring decommissioning to allow radioactivity levels to reduce over time. The EPR proposed at HPC will apply ESC and decommissioning is expected to be completed within 20 years.

The European Scrutiny Committee (ESC) has published its fifth Report of Session 2023-2024. At its meeting on 7 February 2024, the ESC considered Windsor Framework-related documents from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) regarding formaldehyde and changes to EU Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) legislation. Additionally, the ESC considered Trade and Cooperation Agreement regarding documents from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) relating to electric accumulators and electrified vehicles.

The European Scrutiny Committee (ESC) has published its first Special Report of Session 2023–2024, providing the government’s response to the ESC’s 23rd Report of Session 2022–2023, on an inquiry into the UK’s EU representation. On publication of UK Mission to the European Union (UKMis) activities and updates on UK-EU relations, the government has noted the roles of the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and Foreign Secretary in coordinating UK-EU policy and the UKMis Communications Team’s use of social media. On trying to get coverage for the Overseas Territories (OTs) through an agreement like the Trade and Cooperations Agreement (TCA), the government has said that despite not being part of the TCA, the OTs continue to be supported and facilitated in their engagement with the EU. The government has also noted work on a UK-EU treaty in respect of Gibraltar. The ESC recommended that the government improves communication with devolved administrations. In its response, the government has noted the FCDO officials’ regular meetings with devolved government counterparts and an Interministerial Group meeting with devolved governments on effectiveness of the TCA. It was also recommended that the government implements a formal structure for consulting the Crown Dependencies and OTs on EU-related issues, which the government has provided progress on. Lastly, the ESC recommended that the government clarifies how non-TCA related issues, fit with the rest of UKMis’ work, to which the government has noted its response to the war in Ukraine, and how UKMis supports ministerial decisions and directions.

The European Scrutiny Committee (ESC) has published a letter from its Chair, Sir William Cash, to the Foreign Minister, David Rutley, criticising the proposed agreement between the EU and UK over the Gibraltar frontier with Spain. Sir William has highlighted that the current deal, as outlined by ministers in an evidence session on 30 April 2024, amounts to a ‘serious diminution of UK sovereignty’. In the letter, Sir William has questioned how UK nationals and Gibraltarians would be handled if Schengen controls were introduced at Gibraltar’s airport. Other concerns raised in the letter were military and security concerns over the border operating model at the airport and potential oversight by the European Court of Justice for border and trade matters. The ESC has called on the government to clearly set out its negotiating red lines during a proposed pause so that the views of all stakeholders can be sought.

The European Scrutiny Committee (ESC) has published its seventh Report of Session 2023–2024. At its meeting on 8 May 2024, the ESC considered energy related documents from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero including changes to the EU Emissions Trading System and the Single Electricity Market in Northern Ireland and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement: energy cooperation. Additionally, the ESC considered documents from the Home Office regarding the UK/Frontex: working arrangement and Prüm II: the search and exchange of data for police cooperation. Finally, the ESC considered documents related to the Windsor Framework: vehicle recycling from the Department for Transport.

Chair of the European Scrutiny Committee (ESC), Sir William Cash, has written to the Business and Trade Secretary, Kemi Badenoch, that the government is failing to make the most of a ‘shrinking window of opportunity’ to reform retained EU law (REUL). This letter follows a report by the Department of Business and Trade on REUL. Sir William Cash has said that the government has not made enough progress in the period covered by the report (June to December 2023) and that only two of the 26 statutory instruments introduced in this period were ‘worthy of note’.

The European Scrutiny Committee (ESC) has warned of a ‘reasonable worst case scenario’ of tourists having to face 14-hour queues at the Port of Dover, as well as knock-on effects to the A20 and M20, if the EU’s proposed Entry-Exit Scheme (EES) is implemented without any amendments in October 2024. The ESC has also noted that the EES may affect the Kent and Ashford economy and local residents. Several organisations, such as Eurostar, have expressed that the EES may result in queues at terminals of over an hour at peak times. Chair of the ESC, Sir William Cash, has urged for the issues to be ‘urgently addressed’ before the scheme is implemented in October 2024.

The European System of Central Banks (ESCB) has renewed its Statements of Commitment to the FX Global Code following the Code's update in December 2024. All ESCB members, including the European Central Bank, have reaffirmed their commitment to adhere to the Code's principles when acting as foreign exchange market participants. The Code, first published in 2017, sets out global principles of good practice in the foreign exchange market and is intended to promote integrity, effective functioning and high ethical standards. The ESCB has encouraged all foreign exchange market participants within its jurisdictions to review the updated Code and renew their own Statements of Commitment to support its objectives.

This Practice Note considers the role of an Energy Services Company (ESCo) in local authority projects. It considers generally what an ESCo is and the possible structures it may adopt. It considers the benefits associated with the use of an ESCo by a local authority. It also covers the decline in popularity of local authority ESCos following various high profile collapses in the early 2020s, and the possible reasons for these failures. For more information on how to establish a local authority ESCo, see Practice Note: How to establish a local authority Energy Services Company. What is the ESCo model for local authority projects? There is no single definition of what an ESCo is, and ESCo has no special legal meaning. The term has been used to describe businesses engaged in the generation, distribution and/or supply of energy to end customers, as well as those engaged in demand management, green retrofitting and other energy efficiency measures. An ESCo can take many forms, from a single function body that looks after a heat network, to a fully

The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) has announced the transfer of its functions to the Department for Education (DfE). The update includes revised funding guidance for 2025-26 across further education, academies and local authorities. Key changes include updates to adult skills fund rates, pupil premium conditions, academy accounts direction and dedicated schools grant management.