Planning Minister Freddie Cohen

ENVIRONMENT Minister Freddie Cohen has stepped in to try to resolve a row between Jersey Gas and his officials about electricity.

As a result, he has delayed the introduction of new building by-laws. Jersey Gas claims that Environment officials have used the wrong criteria when calculating the carbon footprint allocated to imported electricity.

They say the assumed carbon intensity of electricity from Europe should be up to ten times higher.

But those claims have been rubbished not only by departmental officers but also by the JEC. Both say that the imported electricity has a low carbon footprint as the source comes primarily from nuclear power. It is supplied from the European grid through a 15-year deal the JEC has with Électricité de France.

But now Senator Cohen has ordered an independent study to determine once and for all the carbon footprint of the imported electricity. He wants the fuel companies to pay for the study.