Contact Between DESNZ and Orsted about AR6 and Sustainable Industry Rewards
Dear Department for Energy Security and Net Zero,
I note that Orsted’s Hornsea Project Three has been awarded CfD contracts with a total capacity of 1.080MW under the Permitted Reduction scheme in AR6. Orsted’s Hornsea Four also won a significant new contract. However, the original capacity of Hornsea Three awarded in AR4 was 2,852MW and 1,080MW represents 37.9% of that original capacity when the limit for permitted reductions was supposed to be 25% of the original capacity. I would like to make a request for:
1) Transcripts of all forms of contact (including but not limited to meetings, emails, electronic messages and telephone calls) between DESNZ officials and representatives of Orsted relating to the AR6 process.
2) Transcripts of all forms of contact between DESNZ officials and Baroness Brown, who amongst other things is a non-executive director of Orsted relating to AR6.
3) Transcripts of all contact between DESNZ officials and representatives of Orsted relating to Sustainable Industry Rewards.
Yours faithfully,
David Turver
DESNZ ref: EIR2024/14025
Dear David Turver
Thank you for your request for information which was received on 8th
September. Your request has been passed on to the appropriate official at
the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (DESNZ) to process.
Your request is being considered under the terms of the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 or the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 and
we will reply at the latest by 4th October.
If you have any queries about this email, please contact the Information
Rights Team. Please remember to quote the reference number above in any
future communications.
Kind regards,
Information Rights Team
Information Rights Team | Department for Energy Security & Net Zero | 3 -
8 Whitehall Place, London, SW1A 2AW | www.gov.uk/desnz | [email address] |
Dear FOI Requests,
I note that you have not yet replied to my request, despite promising to do so by October 4th. Please treat this message as a gentle reminder that my request is still outstanding.
Yours sincerely,
David Turver
Dear Department for Energy Security and Net Zero,
Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.
I am writing to request an internal review of Department for Energy Security and Net Zero's handling of my FOI request 'Contact Between DESNZ and Orsted about AR6 and Sustainable Industry Rewards'.
I was promised an answer by 4th October 2024, but no answer was forthcoming. I sent a gentle reminder two weeks ago and that has not even been acknowledged.
A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/c...
Yours faithfully,
David Turver
DESNZ IR ref: IR2024/16735 Original FOI ref: EIR2024/14025
Dear David Turver
Thank you for your request for an internal review which was received on
19th October. Your request has been passed on to the appropriate official
at the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (DESNZ) to process.
In line with the Information Commissioners guidance, internal reviews
should be responded to within 20 working days unless they are complex, in
which case a response should be sent within 40 working days. Please be
aware that this does not include weekends and bank holidays. The
Department aims to respond to requests for internal reviews as quickly as
possible. We hope to be in contact with you again shortly with a decision
on your request.
If you have any queries about this email, please contact the Information
Rights Team at DESNZ. Please remember to quote the reference number above
in any future communications.
Kind regards,
Information Rights Team
Information Rights Team | Department for Energy Security & Net Zero | 3 -
8 Whitehall Place, London, SW1A 2AW | www.gov.uk/desnz | [email address] |
Dear David Turver
Case Ref: EIR2024/14025 & IR2024/16735
We have considered your request in accordance with the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIRs) as the information you have asked for falls within the definition of 'environmental information' as stated in the EIRs.
Under regulation 12(4)(c) of the EIRs, a public authority does not need to comply with a request if it is formulated in too general a manner (for example it is unclear or non-specific).
From our initial assessment, it is clear that we will not be able to answer your request without further clarification. In particular, your request starts with reference to Orsted Hornsea 3's use of the permitted reduction allowance - we would appreciate clarification that the following questions are only looking for contact on that issue in relation to the AR6 process. We also note that SIRs do not relate to the AR6 process and neither permitted reduction.
We will begin to process your request once you have supplied us with the further information requested, but we are unable to do so until this clarification has been provided.
Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.
Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.
If you have any queries about this email, please contact the Information Rights Team.
Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communication.
Yours sincerely,
Information Rights Team
3-8 Whitehall Place
London
SW1A 2AW
Dear FOI Requests (Energy Security),
Thank you for finally replying to my request. If I may clarify, according to the AR6 results announcement, Hornsea Project Three was awarded three CfD contracts of 360MW each and these were classified as technology type "Offshore Wind Permitted Reduction," see link:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk...
The total contract award of 1,080MW represents 37.9% of the original capacity of 2,852MW awarded to Hornsea Project Three in AR4. However, as I understand it, the limit for permitted reductions is only 25% in AR4 contracts. I am therefore seeking to find out why and how DESNZ apparently broke its own rules.
As specified in my original request, I am seeking the following:
1) Transcripts of all forms of contact (including but not limited to meetings, emails, electronic messages and telephone calls) between DESNZ officials and representatives of Orsted relating to the award of the Offshore Wind Permitted Reduction contracts in the AR6 process.
2) Transcripts of all forms of contact between DESNZ officials and Baroness Brown, who amongst other things is a non-executive director of Orsted, relating to the award of the Offshore Wind Permitted Reduction contracts in the AR6 process.
Separately, I would like to see transcripts of any contacts between DESNZ and Orsted relating to Sustainable Industry Rewards (SIRs) since January this year. If it is easier for you, I can make this part of the request into a separate FOI, please advise.
Yours sincerely,
David Turver
DESNZ ref: EIR2024/17245
Dear David Turver
Thank you for your request for information which was received on 28th
October. Your request has been passed on to the appropriate official at
the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (DESNZ) to process.
Your request is being considered under the terms of the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 or the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 and
we will reply at the latest by 25th November.
If you have any queries about this email, please contact the Information
Rights Team. Please remember to quote the reference number above in any
future communications.
Kind regards,
Information Rights Team
Information Rights Team | Department for Energy Security & Net Zero | 3 -
8 Whitehall Place, London, SW1A 2AW | www.gov.uk/desnz | [email address] |
Dear Department for Energy Security and Net Zero,
Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.
I am writing to request an internal review of Department for Energy Security and Net Zero's handling of my FOI request 'Contact Between DESNZ and Orsted about AR6 and Sustainable Industry Rewards'.
I received a query on 28th October to which I replied promptly with a clarification. Since then, I have heard nothing. I respectfully request that you provide a proper answer forthwith
A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/c...
Yours faithfully,
David Turver
DESNZ IR ref: IR2024/19395 Original FOI ref: EIR2024/17245
Dear David Turver
Thank you for your request for an internal review which was received on
20th November. Your request has been passed on to the appropriate official
at the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (DESNZ) to process.
In line with the Information Commissioners guidance, internal reviews
should be responded to within 20 working days unless they are complex, in
which case a response should be sent within 40 working days. Please be
aware that this does not include weekends and bank holidays. The
Department aims to respond to requests for internal reviews as quickly as
possible. We hope to be in contact with you again shortly with a decision
on your request.
If you have any queries about this email, please contact the Information
Rights Team at DESNZ. Please remember to quote the reference number above
in any future communications.
Kind regards,
Information Rights Team
Information Rights Team | Department for Energy Security & Net Zero | 3 -
8 Whitehall Place, London, SW1A 2AW | www.gov.uk/desnz | [email address] |
OFFICIAL
Dear David Turvey,
Attached is our response to your information request, our reference EIR2024/17245.
If you have any queries about this email, please contact the Information Rights Team.
Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communication.
Yours sincerely,
Information Rights Team
3 +IBM- 8 Whitehall Place
London
SW1A 2AW
OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL
Dear David Turvey,
Case References:
EIR2024/17245
IR2024/19395
Please accept our apologies for the delaying in issuing you with our response to your information request, reference number EIR2024/17245.
As we have now provided our response to this request, we have now closed the Internal Review request, reference number IR2024/19395.
If you have any queries about this email, please contact the Information Rights Team.
Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communication.
Yours sincerely,
Information Rights Team
3 +IBM- 8 Whitehall Place
London
SW1A 2AW
OFFICIAL
Dear FOI Requests (Energy Security),
Re FOI References: 2024/14025, EIR2024/14025, EIR2024/16735, EIR2024/17245, EIR2024/19395
Thank you for your belated response of 30th December 2024. I note that I first made my request on September 8th and at no time have you met the deadline for responses. Your response is also as a result of the internal review that I requested.
My original request was related to the AR6 CfD contract awards of 1,080MW to Hornsea Project Three (H3) under the Permitted Reduction Scheme. The original H3 project was awarded a contract in AR4 for 2,852MW and the AR6 contract award represents 37.9% of the original capacity. The limit for Permitted Reductions is supposed to be 25% of original capacity. On the face of it, it appears as though the Government has broken its own rules by awarding so much capacity to H3 in AR6 under the Permitted Reduction Scheme.
Even though you have admitted that you hold information related to my request, you have chosen not to disclose it because you believe the information to be commercially sensitive. I believe the public interest of understanding why and how the Government was able to break its own rules overrides commercial sensitivity. In fact, your refusal to disclose makes me even more suspicious of the contract awards to H3.
Accordingly, I have referred this matter to the Information Commissioner for resolution on the grounds that you have not met your time limits on responding and that your response is not in the public interest.
Yours sincerely,
David Turver
OFFICIAL
Dear David Turver,
Thank you for your email dated 5th January.
Please be advised that if you are dissatisfied with the Departments response you have the right to request an Internal Review.
If you would like the Department to undertake an Internal Review of the response you have now received please confirm by replying to this email.
Yours Sincerely,
DESNZ Information Rights Unit.
Information Rights Team
Department for Energy Security +ACY- Net Zero
3 +IBM- 8 Whitehall Place, London, SW1A 2EG
foi.requests+AEA-energysecurity.gov.uk
http://www.gov.uk/desnz
OFFICIAL
Dear FOI Requests (Energy Security),
Thank you for your reply. However, as I said in my previous note, your response in late December was already as a result of an internal review and your response came after the deadline, so I have referred the matter to the Information Commissioner.
Yours sincerely,
David Turver
Dear Department for Energy Security and Net Zero,
Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.
After receiving advice from the ICO, I am writing to request an internal review of Department for Energy Security and Net Zero's handling of my FOI request 'Contact Between DESNZ and Orsted about AR6 and Sustainable Industry Rewards'.
You may recall that my original request for information related to Orsted’s Hornsea Project Three being awarded CfD contracts with a total capacity of 1,080MW under the Permitted Reduction scheme in AR6. This represented some 37.9% of the original capacity of that project. However, the limit for Permitted reductions is supposed to be only 25% of original capacity. Your main response rejected my request on the grounds that "Regulation 12(5)(e) exempts information where the disclosure of the information would adversely affect the confidentiality of commercial or industrial information." I would like to challenge this decision, because I think the public interest in understanding why and how the Government apparently came to break its own rules overrides commercial considerations of the company benefitting from that breach.
A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/c...
Yours faithfully,
David Turver
DESNZ IR ref: IR2025/00745 Original FOI ref: EIR2024/17245
Dear David Turver
Thank you for your request for an internal review which was received on
14th January. Your request has been passed on to the appropriate official
at the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (DESNZ) to process.
In line with the Information Commissioners guidance, internal reviews
should be responded to within 20 working days unless they are complex, in
which case a response should be sent within 40 working days. Please be
aware that this does not include weekends and bank holidays. The
Department aims to respond to requests for internal reviews as quickly as
possible. We hope to be in contact with you again shortly with a decision
on your request.
If you have any queries about this email, please contact the Information
Rights Team at DESNZ. Please remember to quote the reference number above
in any future communications.
Kind regards,
Information Rights Team
Information Rights Team | Department for Energy Security & Net Zero | 3 -
8 Whitehall Place, London, SW1A 2AW | www.gov.uk/desnz | [email address] |
OFFICIAL
Dear David Turver,
Attached is our response to your internal review request, our reference IR2025/00745.
If you have any queries about this email, please contact the Information Rights Team.
Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communication.
Yours sincerely,
Information Rights Team
3 +IBM- 8 Whitehall Place
London
SW1A 2AW
OFFICIAL
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