Energy Legislation
Legislative framework for energy production, distribution, renewable sources, nuclear power, and energy efficiency standards.
The Energy Prices Act 2022 (Extension of Time Limit) Regulations 2026
Extended the Secretary of State's legal authority to provide energy cost support by six months until October 2026.
These Regulations extend the period during which the Secretary of State may exercise powers under Section 13 of the Energy Prices Act 2022 to provide financial support for energy costs.
The initial statutory deadline for these powers was set to expire on 25 April 2026, three years and six months after the original Act was passed.
This instrument moves that expiration date forward by six months to 25 October 2026, applying to England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
The North Killingholme (Generating Station) (Amendment) Order 2026
The amendment officially updated definitions, increased generating capacity, modified authorized works, and revised building height parameters for the North Killingholme Generating Station Development Consent Order 2014.
This Order, made under the Planning Act 2008, formally amends the North Killingholme (Generating Station) Order 2014 following a successful application for non-material changes concerning infrastructure planning.
The key revisions include updating the definition of works plans to incorporate a specific July 2025 works plan and a July 2025 feasibility study related to carbon capture readiness, increasing the authorized generating capacity from 470 MWe to 550 MWe, making minor adjustments to the list of authorized works (adding an auxiliary boiler and stack), and substantially revising the prescribed building heights for various components of the generating station, including introducing a new maximum height of 140 metres for the flare stack.
Correction to Boiler Upgrade Scheme Website Address
Announces a formal correction to The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 by rectifying a typographical error in a certification website URL listed in a footnote.
This statutory instrument serves as a formal correction to The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2026, specifically addressing a typographical error found on Page 2 in footnote (b), where the website address for certification verification has been updated from 'www.mscertified.com' to the correct address, 'www.mcscertified.com'.
The Regulations amended core CfD legislation to introduce flexible Sustainable Industry Reward budgets, adjust application window timelines, define processes for financial standard compliance, and update required contractual statements.
These Regulations, enacted in April 2026, significantly amend the Contracts for Difference (CfD) legislative framework—specifically the Allocation, General, and Standard Terms Regulations 2014—to introduce new flexibilities concerning Sustainable Industry Rewards (SIR).
Key changes involve allowing the Secretary of State to define specific budget allocations (minima, maxima, and flexible pools) for SIR applications, changing the time limits for certain allocation processes, defining what constitutes met or unmet pre-award financial minimum standards, and establishing procedures for updating sustainable industry reward statements after contract notifications.
The Longfield Solar Farm (Amendment) Order 2026
Amended the 2023 Development Consent Order for Longfield Solar Farm to update technical designs, hedgerow protections, and biodiversity measurement standards.
This Order modifies the Longfield Solar Farm Order 2023 to adjust technical specifications and environmental requirements for the renewable energy project.
It increases the allowed cable circuits for specific grid connection works, updates the planning permission references for Park Farm, and modifies the application of the Hedgerows Regulations 1997.
The Order also mandates that landscape and ecological management plans for the main site construction works demonstrate a minimum of 87% biodiversity net gain using a specific metric.
These changes apply to the developers of the Longfield Solar Farm and the relevant planning authorities in Essex.
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2026
Expanded the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to include air-to-air heat pumps for residential properties and extended the grant program's lifespan to 2030.
These Regulations amend the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (England and Wales) Regulations 2022 to expand the scope of eligible renewable heating technologies and extend the duration of the program.
They introduce air-to-air heat pumps as eligible plant for residential properties, remove the mandatory requirement for a valid energy performance certificate, and extend the scheme's operational timeline until 2030.
The regulations apply to heat pump and biomass boiler installers and property owners in England and Wales, overseen by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.
The Warm Home Discount (England and Wales) Regulations 2026
The Warm Home Discount (England and Wales) Regulations 2026 were made to continue the fuel poverty reduction scheme until 2031, defining supplier obligations, rebate mechanisms, and spending requirements for energy efficiency measures.
These Statutory Instruments continue the Warm Home Discount Scheme in England and Wales until March 31, 2031, re-enacting and amending provisions from the 2022 Regulations to combat fuel poverty.
The scheme mandates obligations on energy suppliers, primarily through a core spending obligation requiring the provision of a £150 prescribed rebate to eligible 'core group customers' identified by the Secretary of State, and a non-core spending obligation covering industry initiatives like energy efficiency improvements, advice provision, and debt write-off, all administered and enforced by the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority (the Authority).
The Renewables Obligation (Amendment) Order 2026
Switched the inflation indexing for renewable electricity buy-out prices and mutualisation caps from RPI to CPI effective April 2026.
This Order amends the Renewables Obligation Order 2015 to change the inflation index used for adjusting the buy-out price and the mutualisation cap for electricity suppliers in England and Wales.
It replaces the Retail Prices Index (RPI) with the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) for all obligation periods starting on or after 1 April 2026.
These changes apply to all licensed electricity suppliers who must either produce Renewables Obligation Certificates (ROCs) or make cash buy-out payments to the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority (Ofgem).