A former Assistant Minister is calling on the Government to develop a long-term energy strategy – warning that gaps in current policies are putting Jersey’s energy security at risk.
Deputy Hilary Jeune is asking Ministers to introduce a strategy by October 2026, and implement any necessary laws by the end of 2027.
The politician previously had responsibility for energy in her role as Assistant Minister for the Environment until the vote of no confidence last year.
Deputy Jeune is now arguing that, without a “comprehensive” plan, Jersey’s energy sector remains vulnerable – with unclear regulations, a lack of coordination across Government, and an over-reliance on imported energy.
Her proposal comes as new data shows that one-third of Jersey households still use fossil fuels as their primary heating source.
The Jersey Opinions and Lifestyle Survey, which collected data from around 1,200 residents, found that more than half of detached houses rely on oil for heating.
Higher-income households were more likely to use oil, while residents in social housing typically used electricity.
In her proposition, Deputy Jeune highlighted that only 3% of Jersey’s energy is generated on-island – while the rest is imported.
According to Statistics Jersey’s Energy Trends report, 57% of the island’s energy came from petroleum products in 2023, 39% from electricity, and 4% from gas.
In a report supporting her proposal, Deputy Jeune argued: “It is common – and increasingly necessary – for jurisdictions to have an energy strategy.
“Many governments around the world, from national to local levels, have implemented comprehensive energy strategies to address a range of critical issues.”
The backbench politician added: “The absence in Jersey of a cohesive energy strategy has exacerbated gaps in legislation and policy, which undermines the sustainability of Jersey’s long-term energy requirements.”
The proposition follows a report by Comptroller and Auditor General Lynn Pamment published in June that warned that Jersey’s resilience in the energy sector was being compromised by a lack of joined-up working across Government.
The report called for improved collaboration with energy providers and clearer definitions of roles and responsibilities regarding energy matters.
Deputy Jeune also noted that recent events have tested the Government’s approach to energy resilience, including the Covid-19 pandemic, Haut du Mont explosion, Grands Vaux flooding, and an island-wide gas outage in October 2023.
Island Energy also increased gas prices by 7.5% at the start of this year.
And the utility company responded to 592 call-outs to reporteed gas leaks last year – of which 116 resulted in repairs to the gas network.
Deputy Jeune said: “Currently, existing energy policies and legislation are dispersed across multiple ministries, resulting in a lack of coordination, fragmentation of oversight and policymaking.
“This fragmentation undermines efforts to address Jersey’s energy challenges and weakens resilience in the energy sector.
“The absence of a clear energy strategy and comprehensive energy policy creates a policy vacuum where stakeholders and politicians may propose well-meaning but disjointed, reactionary solutions.
“These ad hoc measures risk being rushed through without proper analysis, potentially failing to achieve intended outcomes or leading to unintended consequences.
“A well-designed evidence-based energy strategy would provide a structured approach to energy policy, regulation, and market development providing long-term benefits that I believe outweighed initial costs.”