Ofgem's maths
Jan 24, 2012
Bishop Hill in Economics, Energy: wind, Scotland

The Telegraph is reporting that the UK's energy "regulator", Ofgem, has authorised capital expenditure of £7.6bn to allow windfarms in Scotland to be connected to the electricity grid (H/T Lord Beaverbrook).

Ofgem said on Monday it had fast-tracked proposals for infrastructure spending by energy companies ScottishPower and SSE and expected to make a final decision in April, following a consultation.

The investment will be paid for through energy bills and is likely to add 35p to a typical household bill each year from 2013 to 2021.

Eight years, 35p per year, and say 30 million households. By my reckoning the cost to consumers over eight years is £84 million, (£10.5m per annum).

8 × 0.35 × 30 million = 84 million

So who is paying the difference between the £7600m spend and the £84m recouped from consumers?

Or have they got their maths wrong and they mean that the cost per household per year will be £32?

7600 ÷ (30 × 8)  =  32

I guessing they have got this wrong by a factor of 100.

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