Energy Legislation

Legislative framework for energy production, distribution, renewable sources, nuclear power, and energy efficiency standards.

The Treasury substituted the Schedule of the Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000 (Estimates and Accounts) Order 2025 with a revised list of designated bodies affecting supply estimates for the financial year ending March 31, 2026.


This Order, made by HM Treasury under the Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000, revises the list of designated central government bodies for the purpose of calculating supply estimates and resource accounts for the financial year ending March 31, 2026.

Specifically, it substitutes the entire Schedule of the principal Order (The Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000 (Estimates and Accounts) Order 2025) with an updated list organized by government department, adding, renaming, or removing various public sector bodies.

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The Infrastructure (Wales) Act 2024 (Consequential Amendments) Order 2025

The Order amended the Nuclear Installations Act 1965, the Planning (Hazardous Substances) Act 1990, and the Finance Act 2013 to reflect the introduction of infrastructure consent under the Infrastructure (Wales) Act 2024.


The Secretary of State, exercising powers under the Government of Wales Act 2006, enacted this Order to introduce necessary consequential amendments to existing legislation following the passing of the Infrastructure (Wales) Act 2024.

This Order modifies the Nuclear Installations Act 1965 to include infrastructure consent when considering site licences, amends the Planning (Hazardous Substances) Act 1990 regarding consultation requirements related to government authorisation, and updates the Finance Act 2013 to incorporate infrastructure consent into rules governing the conversion of dwellings for non-residential use, ensuring legal alignment with the new infrastructure consenting process in Wales.

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The Offshore Installations (Safety Zones) (No. 2) Order 2025

Published: Wed 10th Dec 25

The Secretary of State established new 500-meter safety zones around two specified offshore installations and revoked safety zones established under four previous orders dating from 2007 and 2008.


The Offshore Installations (Safety Zones) (No. 2) Order 2025 establishes new 500-meter maritime safety zones around two specific offshore installations identified in its Schedule, exercising powers granted by the Petroleum Act 1987 following recommendations from the Health and Safety Executive. Furthermore, the Order simultaneously amends and revokes safety zones previously established by four separate Orders from 2007 and 2008 concerning certain wells or structures, notably within the Chestnut Field and Kingfisher area.

The zones prohibit unauthorized entry by vessels, installations in transit, or submersible apparatus.

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The South East Water Limited (River Ouse and Shell Brook) Drought Order 2025

The Secretary of State enacted the South East Water Limited (River Ouse and Shell Brook) Drought Order 2025, temporarily modifying licence conditions to manage a serious water supply threat in Sussex due to drought, imposing monitoring requirements, and setting an expiry date of June 2, 2026.


The Secretary of State issued the South East Water Limited (River Ouse and Shell Brook) Drought Order 2025, effective from December 3, 2025, until June 2, 2026, to address a threatened serious water supply deficiency in the Sussex region caused by an exceptional shortage of rain.

This Order temporarily modifies South East Water Limited's existing abstraction licence (No. 21/128) by reducing required compensation release volumes to the Shell Brook, altering the natural flow conditions under which water can be abstracted from the River Ouse at Barcombe, and enabling abstraction at Ardingly during the Order's duration.

The Order mandates adherence to an environmental monitoring plan and specific mitigation measures detailed in a supporting Environmental Assessment Report.

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The Dogger Bank Creyke Beck Offshore Wind Farm (Amendment) Order 2025

The Secretary of State made an Order amending the 2015 Development Consent Order for the Dogger Bank Creyke Beck Offshore Wind Farm to allow separate consideration and enforcement of requirements for Project A and Project B.


This Order amends the Dogger Bank Creyke Beck Offshore Wind Farm Order 2015, granted under the Planning Act 2008, following an application for a non-material change.

The Secretary of State has made this amendment to allow the two constituent parts of the project, referred to as Project A and Project B, to be treated separately for the purpose of discharging and enforcing various conditions, particularly concerning abandonment, decay, removal, noise limits, and specific requirements placed on the distinct components of the offshore and onshore works.

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The Marine Recovery Funds Regulations 2025

The Secretary of State established the Marine Recovery Funds Regulations 2025 under the Energy Act 2023, detailing the administration, operational rules, application procedures, and compensation mechanisms for mitigating the environmental impact of offshore wind activities across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.


These Regulations establish the framework for the creation, operation, and management of Marine Recovery Funds (MRFs) across the UK, designed to channel payments from entities responsible for adverse environmental effects of offshore wind activities towards approved compensatory measures.

The Secretary of State is empowered to set up these funds territorially, determine the application procedure for 'MRF applicants' seeking to make compensation payments, approve environmental 'measures,' and manage the subsequent delivery, monitoring, and adaptation of those measures through 'MRF contracts.'

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The Clean Heat Market Mechanism (Amendment) Regulations 2025

* The Clean Heat Market Mechanism Regulations 2025 were amended to confirm MCS as the certification scheme, adjust hybrid heating definitions, and raise the low-carbon heat target to 8% starting April 2026.


These Regulations amend the Clean Heat Market Mechanism (CHMM) Regulations 2025, which established the mandatory scheme requiring boiler manufacturers to meet escalating targets for installing low-carbon heat pumps proportionate to their fossil fuel boiler sales in the UK. The amendments officially designate the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) as the sole approval scheme for CHMM compliance, update the criteria for what qualifies as a hybrid heating system, and most significantly, increase the required low-carbon heat installation target for scheme years beginning April 1, 2026, from 6% to 8% of relevant boiler sales.

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The Electricity (Individual Exemption from the Requirement for a Transmission Licence) (Dogger Bank A) (Amendment) Order 2025

Published: Wed 19th Nov 25

* Extended the electricity transmission licence exemption for the Dogger Bank A Offshore Wind Farm for one year, from December 2025 to December 2026.


The Secretary of State made this Order under powers granted by the Electricity Act 1989 to amend the existing 2025 Order concerning the Dogger Bank A Offshore Wind Farm.

This amendment specifically extends the date until which the project is exempt from the requirement to hold an electricity transmission licence, changing the expiry date from December 19, 2025, to December 18, 2026, and the Order applies to England, Wales, and Scotland.

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