Britain’s green energy pledge ‘credible’ if planning fixed, says system operator

Neso warned that Britain’s regional power networks would need to grow at a pace more than four times faster than in the past decade. Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty Images

A plan to create a clean electricity system by 2030 promised by Labour before the election is “immensely challenging” but still “credible” if ministers take urgent action to fix Britain’s sluggish planning system, the energy system operator has said.

Britain could become a net exporter of green electricity by the end of the decade at no extra costs to the energy system under the plans and bills may even fall if ministers make the right policy changes, according to the operator.