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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Electricity investment plan to be unveiled | Electricity investment plan to be unveiled |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Plans for £110bn of investment in electricity generation are set to be unveiled later by the Department for Energy and Climate Change. | Plans for £110bn of investment in electricity generation are set to be unveiled later by the Department for Energy and Climate Change. |
| The plan would replace a quarter of the country's power stations by 2030, Energy Secretary Chris Huhne said. | The plan would replace a quarter of the country's power stations by 2030, Energy Secretary Chris Huhne said. |
| It also aims to insulate the UK from swings in oil prices by increasing nuclear and renewable energy sources. | It also aims to insulate the UK from swings in oil prices by increasing nuclear and renewable energy sources. |
| Mr Huhne told the BBC that claims the cost of the investments would hurt consumers were misplaced. | Mr Huhne told the BBC that claims the cost of the investments would hurt consumers were misplaced. |
| He pointed to recent rises in utility bills by British Gas and Scottish Power, claiming that these companies had already imposed a cost on consumers in one day similar to what the investment programme would involve over several years. | He pointed to recent rises in utility bills by British Gas and Scottish Power, claiming that these companies had already imposed a cost on consumers in one day similar to what the investment programme would involve over several years. |
| "[The white paper] provides insurance for consumers against that sort of shock," he said. | "[The white paper] provides insurance for consumers against that sort of shock," he said. |
| 'Keep the lights on' | 'Keep the lights on' |
| A key recommendation of the paper is expected to be long-term price contracts with domestic nuclear power plants and offshore windfarms, in order to make electricity prices more stable. | A key recommendation of the paper is expected to be long-term price contracts with domestic nuclear power plants and offshore windfarms, in order to make electricity prices more stable. |
| The DECC said that its investment plans would cost £160 per household per year by 2030. | The DECC said that its investment plans would cost £160 per household per year by 2030. |
| In contrast, the Department said that if the system remained unchanged, then electricity bills would go up by £200 a year over the same period. | |
| "It means that we keep the lights on," Mr Huhne told BBC Breakfast. "Because we are replacing a quarter of our clapped-out electricity generation." | |
| The planned investment is equivalent to 20 large new power stations, double the pace seen in the last decade. | The planned investment is equivalent to 20 large new power stations, double the pace seen in the last decade. |
| It aims to raise the share of renewable energy sources to 30% of electricity generation by 2030, from 7% currently. The government also foresees new nuclear power stations being built as well. | |
| It would also see the building of new coal-powered generators with technology to capture carbon emissions, as well as new gas-fired power stations. | |
| Natural gas is regarded as cleaner than other fossil fuels, and gas prices are expected to remain cheap thanks to the development of shale-gas deposits in the US coupled with the growing international trade in liquefied natural gas. | Natural gas is regarded as cleaner than other fossil fuels, and gas prices are expected to remain cheap thanks to the development of shale-gas deposits in the US coupled with the growing international trade in liquefied natural gas. |