Great British Energy Act 2025

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<section xmlns="http://docs.oasis-open.org/legaldocml/ns/akn/3.0" eId="section-1"><num>1</num><heading>Great British Energy</heading><subsection eId="section-1-1"><num>(1)</num><content><p>The Secretary of State may by notice designate a company as Great British Energy.</p></content></subsection><subsection eId="section-1-2"><num>(2)</num><intro><p>A company may be designated under <ref href="#section-1">this section</ref> only if—</p></intro><level class="para1" eId="section-1-2-a"><num>(a)</num><content><p>it is limited by shares, and</p></content></level><level class="para1" eId="section-1-2-b"><num>(b)</num><content><p>it is wholly owned by the Crown.</p></content></level></subsection><subsection eId="section-1-3"><num>(3)</num><intro><p>A notice under <ref href="#section-1-1">subsection (1)</ref>—</p></intro><level class="para1" eId="section-1-3-a"><num>(a)</num><content><p>must specify the time from which the designation has effect, and</p></content></level><level class="para1" eId="section-1-3-b"><num>(b)</num><content><p>must be published by the Secretary of State as soon as reasonably practicable after the notice is given.</p></content></level></subsection><subsection eId="section-1-4"><num>(4)</num><intro><p>The designation of a company terminates—</p></intro><level class="para1" eId="section-1-4-a"><num>(a)</num><content><p>if the company ceases to be wholly owned by the Crown, or</p></content></level><level class="para1" eId="section-1-4-b"><num>(b)</num><content><p>if the Secretary of State revokes the designation by notice.</p></content></level></subsection><subsection eId="section-1-5"><num>(5)</num><intro><p>A notice under <ref href="#section-1-4">subsection (4)</ref><ref href="#section-1-4-b">(b)</ref>—</p></intro><level class="para1" eId="section-1-5-a"><num>(a)</num><content><p>must specify the time from which the revocation has effect, and</p></content></level><level class="para1" eId="section-1-5-b"><num>(b)</num><content><p>must be published by the Secretary of State as soon as reasonably practicable after the notice is given.</p></content></level></subsection><subsection eId="section-1-6"><num>(6)</num><intro><p>For the purposes of <ref href="#section-1">this section</ref> a company is wholly owned by the Crown if each share in the company is held by—</p></intro><level class="para1" eId="section-1-6-a"><num>(a)</num><content><p>a Minister of the Crown,</p></content></level><level class="para1" eId="section-1-6-b"><num>(b)</num><content><p>a company which is wholly owned by the Crown, or</p></content></level><level class="para1" eId="section-1-6-c"><num>(c)</num><content><p>a nominee of a person falling within <ref href="#section-1-6-a">paragraph (a)</ref> or <ref href="#section-1-6-b">(b)</ref>.</p></content></level></subsection><subsection eId="section-1-7"><num>(7)</num><content><p>Great British Energy is exempt from the requirements of the <ref eId="c00001" href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/46">Companies Act 2006</ref> relating to the use of “limited” as part of its name.</p></content></subsection><subsection eId="section-1-8"><num>(8)</num><intro><p>In <ref href="#section-1">this section</ref>—</p></intro><hcontainer name="definition"><content><p>“<term refersTo="#term-company" eId="term-company">company</term>” means a company registered under the <ref eId="c00002" href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/46">Companies Act 2006</ref>;</p></content></hcontainer><hcontainer name="definition"><content><p>“<term refersTo="#term-minister-of-the-crown" eId="term-minister-of-the-crown">Minister of the Crown</term>” has the same meaning as in the <ref eId="c00003" href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1975/26">Ministers of the Crown Act 1975</ref> (see section 8(1) of that Act).</p></content></hcontainer></subsection></section>
<section xmlns="http://docs.oasis-open.org/legaldocml/ns/akn/3.0" eId="section-2"><num>2</num><heading>Crown status</heading><subsection eId="section-2-1"><num>(1)</num><content><p>Great British Energy is not to be regarded as a servant or agent of the Crown or as enjoying any status, immunity or privilege of the Crown.</p></content></subsection><subsection eId="section-2-2"><num>(2)</num><content><p>Great British Energy’s property is not to be regarded as property of, or property held on behalf of, the Crown.</p></content></subsection></section>
<section xmlns="http://docs.oasis-open.org/legaldocml/ns/akn/3.0" eId="section-3"><num>3</num><heading>Objects</heading><subsection eId="section-3-1"><num>(1)</num><content><p>Great British Energy must secure that its articles of association contain a statement of its objects.</p></content></subsection><subsection eId="section-3-2"><num>(2)</num><intro><p>The statement must provide that Great British Energy’s objects are restricted to facilitating, encouraging and participating in—</p></intro><level class="para1" eId="section-3-2-a"><num>(a)</num><content><p>the production, distribution, storage and supply of clean energy,</p></content></level><level class="para1" eId="section-3-2-b"><num>(b)</num><content><p>the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from energy produced from fossil fuels,</p></content></level><level class="para1" eId="section-3-2-c"><num>(c)</num><content><p>improvements in energy efficiency,</p></content></level><level class="para1" eId="section-3-2-d"><num>(d)</num><content><p>measures for ensuring the security of the supply of energy, and</p></content></level><level class="para1" eId="section-3-2-e"><num>(e)</num><content><p>measures for ensuring that slavery and human trafficking is not taking place in its business or supply chains,</p></content></level><wrapUp><p>(including through projects involving or benefiting local communities).</p></wrapUp></subsection><subsection eId="section-3-3"><num>(3)</num><intro><p>In <ref href="#section-3">this section</ref>—</p></intro><hcontainer name="definition"><content><p>“<term refersTo="#term-clean-energy" eId="term-clean-energy">clean energy</term>” means energy produced from sources other than fossil fuels;</p></content></hcontainer><hcontainer name="definition"><content><p>“<term refersTo="#term-distribution" eId="term-distribution">distribution</term>”, in relation to clean energy, includes its conveyance and transmission;</p></content></hcontainer><hcontainer name="definition"><content><p>“<term refersTo="#term-fossil-fuel" eId="term-fossil-fuel">fossil fuel</term>” has the meaning given by <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1989/29/section/32M">section 32M</a> of the <ref eId="c00004" href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1989/29">Electricity Act 1989</ref>;</p></content></hcontainer><hcontainer name="definition"><content><p>“<term refersTo="#term-greenhouse-gas" eId="term-greenhouse-gas">greenhouse gas</term>” has the same meaning as in the <ref eId="c00005" href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2008/27">Climate Change Act 2008</ref> (see section 92 of that Act).</p></content></hcontainer></subsection></section>
<section xmlns="http://docs.oasis-open.org/legaldocml/ns/akn/3.0" eId="section-4"><num>4</num><heading>Financial assistance</heading><subsection eId="section-4-1"><num>(1)</num><content><p>The Secretary of State may provide financial assistance to Great British Energy.</p></content></subsection><subsection eId="section-4-2"><num>(2)</num><intro><p>Financial assistance under <ref href="#section-4">this section</ref> may be provided in any form and in particular may be provided—</p></intro><level class="para1" eId="section-4-2-a"><num>(a)</num><content><p>by way of grant, loan, guarantee or indemnity,</p></content></level><level class="para1" eId="section-4-2-b"><num>(b)</num><content><p>by the acquisition of shares or any other interest in, or securities of, a body corporate,</p></content></level><level class="para1" eId="section-4-2-c"><num>(c)</num><content><p>by the acquisition of any undertaking or of any assets,</p></content></level><level class="para1" eId="section-4-2-d"><num>(d)</num><content><p>pursuant to a contract, or</p></content></level><level class="para1" eId="section-4-2-e"><num>(e)</num><content><p>by incurring expenditure for the benefit of Great British Energy.</p></content></level></subsection><subsection eId="section-4-3"><num>(3)</num><content><p>Financial assistance under <ref href="#section-4">this section</ref> may be provided subject to any conditions the Secretary of State considers appropriate.</p></content></subsection><subsection eId="section-4-4"><num>(4)</num><content><p>The power to provide financial assistance under <ref href="#section-4">this section</ref> is in addition to (and does not limit or replace) any other power of a Minister of the Crown to provide financial assistance.</p></content></subsection><subsection eId="section-4-5"><num>(5)</num><content><p>“<term refersTo="#term-minister-of-the-crown" eId="term-minister-of-the-crown">Minister of the Crown</term>” has the same meaning as in the <ref eId="c00006" href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1975/26">Ministers of the Crown Act 1975</ref> (see section 8(1) of that Act).</p></content></subsection></section>
<section xmlns="http://docs.oasis-open.org/legaldocml/ns/akn/3.0" eId="section-5"><num>5</num><heading>Strategic priorities and plans</heading><subsection eId="section-5-1"><num>(1)</num><content><p>The Secretary of State must prepare a statement of strategic priorities for Great British Energy.</p></content></subsection><subsection eId="section-5-2"><num>(2)</num><content><p>The Secretary of State must comply with subsection <ref href="#section-5-1">(1)</ref> within the period of six months beginning with the day on which this Act comes into force.</p></content></subsection><subsection eId="section-5-3"><num>(3)</num><content><p>The Secretary of State may revise or replace the statement.</p></content></subsection><subsection eId="section-5-4"><num>(4)</num><content><p>The Secretary of State must lay a copy of the statement, and of any revised or replacement statement, before Parliament.</p></content></subsection><subsection eId="section-5-5"><num>(5)</num><content><p>The Secretary of State must not, without the consent of the Scottish Ministers, include in a statement under <ref href="#section-5">this section</ref> anything which concerns a matter provision about which would be within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament, if contained in an Act of that Parliament.</p></content></subsection><subsection eId="section-5-6"><num>(6)</num><content><p>The Secretary of State must not, without the consent of the Welsh Ministers, include in a statement under <ref href="#section-5">this section</ref> anything which concerns a matter provision about which would be within the legislative competence of Senedd Cymru, if contained in an Act of the Senedd.</p></content></subsection><subsection eId="section-5-7"><num>(7)</num><intro><p>The Secretary of State must not, without the consent of the Department for the Economy in Northern Ireland, include in a statement under <ref href="#section-5">this section</ref> anything which concerns a matter provision about which—</p></intro><level class="para1" eId="section-5-7-a"><num>(a)</num><content><p>would be within the legislative competence of the Northern Ireland Assembly, if it were contained in an Act of that Assembly, and</p></content></level><level class="para1" eId="section-5-7-b"><num>(b)</num><content><p>would not, if it were contained in a Bill in the Northern Ireland Assembly, result in the Bill requiring the consent of the Secretary of State under <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/47/section/8">section 8</a> of the <ref eId="c00007" href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/47">Northern Ireland Act 1998</ref>.</p></content></level></subsection><subsection eId="section-5-8"><num>(8)</num><intro><p>Great British Energy must secure that its articles of association provide for it—</p></intro><level class="para1" eId="section-5-8-a"><num>(a)</num><content><p>to publish and act in accordance with strategic plans which reflect the Secretary of State’s statement, and</p></content></level><level class="para1" eId="section-5-8-b"><num>(b)</num><content><p>to update those plans whenever the Secretary of State revises or replaces the statement.</p></content></level></subsection></section>
<section xmlns="http://docs.oasis-open.org/legaldocml/ns/akn/3.0" eId="section-6"><num>6</num><heading>Directions</heading><subsection eId="section-6-1"><num>(1)</num><content><p>The Secretary of State may give specific or general directions to Great British Energy.</p></content></subsection><subsection eId="section-6-2"><num>(2)</num><content><p>Great British Energy must comply with the directions.</p></content></subsection><subsection eId="section-6-3"><num>(3)</num><intro><p>Before giving a direction the Secretary of State must consult—</p></intro><level class="para1" eId="section-6-3-a"><num>(a)</num><content><p>Great British Energy, and</p></content></level><level class="para1" eId="section-6-3-b"><num>(b)</num><content><p>such other persons as the Secretary of State considers appropriate.</p></content></level></subsection><subsection eId="section-6-4"><num>(4)</num><content><p>The Secretary of State must publish and lay before Parliament any directions given to Great British Energy under <ref href="#section-6">this section</ref>.</p></content></subsection></section>
<section xmlns="http://docs.oasis-open.org/legaldocml/ns/akn/3.0" eId="section-7"><num>7</num><heading>Reviews of Great British Energy’s effectiveness</heading><subsection eId="section-7-1"><num>(1)</num><content><p>The Secretary of State must appoint an independent person to carry out reviews of the effectiveness of Great British Energy.</p></content></subsection><subsection eId="section-7-2"><num>(2)</num><content><p>In carrying out the review, the independent person must have regard to the statement of strategic priorities prepared by the Secretary of State under section <ref href="#section-5">5</ref><ref href="#section-5-1">(1)</ref>.</p></content></subsection><subsection eId="section-7-3"><num>(3)</num><intro><p>After each review, the independent person must—</p></intro><level class="para1" eId="section-7-3-a"><num>(a)</num><content><p>prepare a report of the review, and</p></content></level><level class="para1" eId="section-7-3-b"><num>(b)</num><content><p>submit the report to the Secretary of State.</p></content></level></subsection><subsection eId="section-7-4"><num>(4)</num><intro><p>On receiving a report, the Secretary of State must—</p></intro><level class="para1" eId="section-7-4-a"><num>(a)</num><content><p>send a copy of the report to the Scottish Ministers, the Welsh Ministers and the Department for the Economy in Northern Ireland, and</p></content></level><level class="para1" eId="section-7-4-b"><num>(b)</num><intro><p>no less than 14 days after complying with paragraph <ref href="#section-7-4-a">(a)</ref>—</p></intro><level class="para2" eId="section-7-4-b-i"><num>(i)</num><content><p>publish the report, and</p></content></level><level class="para2" eId="section-7-4-b-ii"><num>(ii)</num><content><p>lay a copy of the report before Parliament.</p></content></level></level></subsection><subsection eId="section-7-5"><num>(5)</num><content><p>The first report must be submitted to the Secretary of State within the period of 5 years beginning with the day on which this Act comes into force.</p></content></subsection><subsection eId="section-7-6"><num>(6)</num><content><p>Subsequent reports must be submitted to the Secretary of State at intervals of not more than 5 years.</p></content></subsection><subsection eId="section-7-7"><num>(7)</num><intro><p>In this section, references to an “independent person” are to a person who appears to the Secretary of State to be independent of—</p></intro><level class="para1" eId="section-7-7-a"><num>(a)</num><content><p>the Secretary of State, and</p></content></level><level class="para1" eId="section-7-7-b"><num>(b)</num><content><p>Great British Energy.</p></content></level></subsection></section>
<section xmlns="http://docs.oasis-open.org/legaldocml/ns/akn/3.0" eId="section-8"><num>8</num><heading>Annual accounts and reports</heading><subsection eId="section-8-1"><num>(1)</num><content><p>Great British Energy must, as soon as reasonably practicable after its directors comply with <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/46/section/441">section 441</a> of the <ref eId="c00008" href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/46">Companies Act 2006</ref> in relation to a financial year, deliver to the Secretary of State a copy of the accounts and reports required to be delivered to the registrar for that financial year in accordance with <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/46/section/441">that section</a>.</p></content></subsection><subsection eId="section-8-2"><num>(2)</num><content><p>The Secretary of State must lay a copy of those accounts and reports before Parliament.</p></content></subsection></section>
<section xmlns="http://docs.oasis-open.org/legaldocml/ns/akn/3.0" eId="section-9"><num>9</num><heading>Sustainable development</heading><content><p>Great British Energy must keep under review the impact of its activities on the achievement of sustainable development in the United Kingdom.</p></content></section>
<section xmlns="http://docs.oasis-open.org/legaldocml/ns/akn/3.0" eId="section-10"><num>10</num><heading>Extent, commencement and short title</heading><subsection eId="section-10-1"><num>(1)</num><content><p>This Act extends to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.</p></content></subsection><subsection eId="section-10-2"><num>(2)</num><content><p>This Act comes into force on the day on which it is passed.</p></content></subsection><subsection eId="section-10-3"><num>(3)</num><content><p>This Act may be cited as the Great British Energy Act 2025.</p></content></subsection></section>