Energy price review panel ‘fatally damaged’

A GOVERNMENT review into soaring energy costs is “fatally damaged” because it has appointed a City adviser who makes money from energy schemes that are blamed for keeping bills high, it was claimed last night.

Richard Nourse, who was appointed to the fivestrong advisory panel advising Prof Dieter Helm on Business Secretary Greg Clark’s energy review earlier this month, is now under pressure to quit. The review was set up last week to “deliver on Government’s commitment to consider how to keep energy costs as low as possible”, a pledge in the Tories’ manifesto.

Mr Nourse is managing partner of Greencoat Capital, which is the official investment manager of Greencoat UK Wind, a £910m fund that owns shares in some of the UK’S biggest wind farms, including the 350MW Clyde project. The review is being led by Prof Helm, an Oxford academic and critic of wind and solar power, and has the fivestrong panel advising it.

It has already been criticised after the Government said the review would not be allowed to suggest changes to the Government schemes responsible for raising bills.

These levies, some of which subsidise wind and solar power, are blamed by leading energy suppliers for adding £150 to household energy bills.

David Green, director of the right of centre think tank Civitas, said Mr Nourse should stand down. He said: “The normal understanding for all independent enquiries is that they should seek the truth without fear or favour. People with a direct financial interest should be asked to give evidence as interested parties. They should not be official advisers. If Mr Nourse is allowed to continue as a panel member its legitimacy will be fatally damaged.”

Mr Nourse defended his role in the panel,