Activities of Marian HARKIN related to 2015/2108(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Making Europe's electricity grid fit for 2020 (A8-0330/2015 - Peter Eriksson)
Amendments (3)
Amendment 51 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Recognises the 10 % target – to be achieved by 2020 – as a valuable target and a step in the right direction; considers, however, that it does not always reflect the market situation and has not been established on the basis of scientific evidence; recalls that the 10 % target was first set in 2002 on the basis of the installed electricity generation capacity that existed at that time; acknowledges that, although the 10 % target is important, it describes neither the quantity of electricity flowing between countries nor the quality, such as the availability of the existing interconnection infrastructure or of the existing national infrastructure between the interconnectors; notes also that this figure takes no account of demand and that in certain member States it can have the effect of encouraging infrastructure build to meet a generating capacity target rather than a demand target; believes, therefore, that a one-size-fits-all interconnection target based on installed electricity generation capacity is not on its own appropriate for all Member States;
Amendment 85 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Regrets the lack of a transparent decision-making process leading to the establishment of the projects of common interest (PCI) list; regrets further the predominant role of ENTSO-E, transmission system operators (TSOs) and project promoters in the development of a harmonised cost-benefit analysis methodology, in preparing the ten-year network development plans and the network codes, and in evaluating the costs and benefits of each project; recalls the need to provide complete assessments including social and environmental impacts; and in this context asks that DG Energy or DG Environment conduct the required assessments on a cost neutral basis at arm’s length from promoters in order to ensure full transparency and accountability in the process; calls on the Commission, the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) and national regulators to play a more proactive role in order to develop a more neutral, transparent and democratic consultative process, including the effective participation of Parliament and giving voting status to civil society representatives; furthermore, requests while the actual ranking of a project may remain secret due to commercial sensitivities that those involved in the consultation process in selection and ranking of PCI projects should be fully informed of the rationale behind the selection and ranking of these projects; calls on the Commission to assess the situations in which the use of best available technology (BAT) could be established as a precondition for granting EU funds to projects;
Amendment 148 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Urges the Commission, furthermore, to: 1) encourage investments in the best available technology, which, while costlier, offers considerable financial advantages as well as time savings in the long run, this could include undergrounding or partial undergrounding of cables; 2) conduct a review of the financing rules with the aim of streamlining the existing mechanisms and highlighting the principle that wealthier Member States are responsible for projects involving their countries, while EU financial support should be used in countries facing greater challenges; and 3) strengthen incentives for further investments in the grid by, inter alia, introducing a requirement for profits made from transmission congestion rent to be reinvested in additional interconnectors;