Simon Hamilton
Strangford · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“I have emphasised to the Member and the House before, that, whilst I accept that those are not good enough — that is why we have been developing the plan — there are alternative technologies in place that can present opportunities for those who just cannot get acceptable speeds.”
“I thank the Member for his intervention. There are some initiatives that I believe will help and act as a driver to improve broadband access. One such intervention is the broadband universal service obligation (USO), which is being taken forward by Her Majesty's Government.”
“I thank the Member for his question. However, he is conflating two issues. I wrote to his party leader, and indeed to all Assembly party leaders, before making the announcement that I did last week about wanting to publish the details of the businesses in receipt of the non-domestic RHI scheme. It was my intention to do that tomorrow.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Chancellor, in his autumn statement, made some more funding available for telecommunications, and my Department is studying that and seeking to avail itself of that to the fullest possible extent.”
“In addition, my Department is managing a contract for the delivery of the superfast rollout programme, which, by 31 December, will provide access to superfast broadband with speeds of at least 24 megabits per second to a further 38,000 premises, both business and residential, across Northern Ireland, including in the Newry and Armagh cons…”
“I signalled the intention to do this a few weeks ago. The Member and the House will know that inspections of all installations would have taken place over the 20-year lifetime of the RHI scheme.”
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“The quality of products and services that are provided by Northern Ireland companies is second to none, and that is being increasingly recognised. <BR /> <BR />Of course, winning new orders and contracts internationally helps grow employment locally. Growing our exports is an absolutely critical element of creating the increasingly outward-looking, globally competitive economy that I want to see Northern Ireland become. That is why I recently launched the new trade accelerator plan, which offers a range of enhanced support for businesses to explore more trading opportunities outside Northern Ireland. Mr Aiken mentioned working with the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry. We certainly use and will continue to use the chamber and, indeed, all chambers of commerce and business organisations, to deliver our message on exports.”
“I was hugely impressed by the team and the success of Northern Ireland companies who are proving that opportunities exist in the Middle East for those who want to make their mark on the global stage. Exports to the UAE alone stand at £60 million in 2015-16, which is up almost 15% on the previous year. Businesses like CDE Global, Wrightbus, Brett Martin and Kitchenmaster have set up offices in the UAE to act as Middle East bases to boost their trade opportunities in the wider region. Other companies, such as Ulster Carpets, AJ Power and Mallaghan Engineering, to mention but a few, have been successful in securing orders in the Middle East. From what I saw in the Middle East, Northern Ireland companies are more than capable of securing contracts and succeeding anywhere.”
“The most notable growth in the US market was that recorded in the medical and pharmaceutical sector, where product exports increased by £458 million, driven by the ongoing success of local firms like Almac and Randox. We also saw significant growth recorded in Canada, with exports reaching £372 million, an increase of £10 million or 2·8%, largely due to increased sales in the food, medicinal and pharma sectors. <BR /> <BR />Last week, I travelled to the Middle East to meet influential business leaders in the United Arab Emirates and see at first hand the success of local companies in securing business in that important market. I would like to pay tribute to the work of the excellent team of Invest NI officials who are based in Dubai and work closely in support of companies that are seeking to trade in the Middle East.”
“I am absolutely delighted that the latest HMRC figures showed that Northern Ireland had an increase in value of 9·5% on exported goods. Significantly, we were the only part of the United Kingdom to record an increase in exports over the last year. That equates to £6·67 billion of sales in a 12-month rolling period. That is excellent news and a reflection of our increasingly global outlook when it comes to trade. <BR /> <BR />I want to pick out a few highlights from the HMRC figures. Exports to Japan were up 31% to £40 million, while sales to Australia were up by 11·1% to £80·3 million. The Americas continue to be a target market for companies from Northern Ireland, with exports recorded at £2 billion, up by 49·7%. Northern Ireland manufacturing exports to the USA have been impressive, increasing by almost three quarters to £1·46 billion.”
“Examples, such as the success of SDC Trailers from Toomebridge and its £480,000 contract with the Kanoo Group in Saudi Arabia and Ulster Carpets' contract to provide carpet to a new five-star resort in Dubai, were announced in the last week. Growing our exports and expanding trade opportunities is absolutely crucial for Northern Ireland and central to the Executive's economic strategy. In a small region like ours, we simply cannot rely on a home market of 1·8 million people to deliver economic growth. We have to look beyond these shores.”
“I very much welcome the debate and the opportunity to respond to the motion and the contributions made so far. At the outset, I thank the Members who tabled today's motion. It is right that we recognise the many successes and outstanding performances of Northern Ireland businesses. That is something we should do more of in the House. I am determined that during my time as Minister for the Economy we will seek to celebrate success in its many guises. <BR /> <BR />It is understandable that creating more and better jobs will get the bulk of our attention, but it is my intention to celebrate new contracts that see local companies exporting their goods, products and services.”
“I will do my best to have an open-door relationship with our banks because it is vital that we truly understand each other. That relationship should be mutually beneficial to the needs of the banks and the wider economy and society in Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />In conclusion, Northern Ireland needs a strong, vibrant banking sector and effective relationships to ensure that our economy and rural communities can continue to grow and prosper.”
“<BR /> <BR />I have spoken about growing our economy but doing so in a way that serves the common good in Northern Ireland. As we grow our economy, I do not want us to lose sight of the values that make Northern Ireland a special place to live in. One of those values is that of community. We have a very strong sense of community in Northern Ireland. Whether or not we like banks, they are part of that community. They have a broader responsibility to their customers in Northern Ireland, which is not always evident from their behaviour. I recognise that it will be a challenge, but I encourage our banks to ensure that they take informed decisions that take full account of the likely impact on local and, in particular, rural communities.”
“It has proposed to the Bank of Ireland an action plan that includes suggestions that the bank provide drop-in sessions to give affected consumers information on continuing to access their bank account; support and training to consumers on online banking options; resource packs of information that compare different bank accounts, facilities, switching advice and other methods of payment; and accessibility audits of the alternative arrangements that are being put in place for disabled consumers. <BR /> <BR />As customers, we are changing how we interact with banks. An increasing number of us are going online to carry out transactions. Banks need to lower their cost base, which can lead to branch closures. However, banks in Northern Ireland have to make significant decisions about how they interact with their customers.”
“I thank the Consumer Council for its efforts to work with banks to mitigate the negative impacts and for the research that it has carried out into consumer attitudes to banking following recent branch closures. Its research shows that 80% of customers had visited a bank branch in the last year, consumers aged 55 and over are more likely to visit a bank branch than younger customers, and disabled customers are more likely to be affected by bank branch closures. The Consumer Council is working with the Bank of Ireland on its proposed bank closures to ensure that communities affected are left resilient to the change.”
“That is a success story that the Executive have delivered. <BR /> <BR />The credit union network can also help to support the rural community. According to the Irish League of Credit Unions, membership has doubled in the past 10 years. Whilst credit unions do not offer the full range of services of a high-street bank, their network and the number of people who use their services have an important impact across Northern Ireland. Most are community-founded and locally based, and they are an important element in increasing and maintaining financial inclusion across Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />Understandably, the closure of rural banks is a real concern.”
“Research from Ofcom shows that 62% of Internet users in Northern Ireland bank online. However, 38% of Northern Ireland consumers said that they would still not be confident about accessing a bank account online. Clearly, more work is needed to make this a viable alternative for high-street branches. <BR /> <BR />Access to cash machines is also a very real issue for rural areas. In 2007, the then Department of Finance and Personnel introduced rate relief measures aimed at businesses in rural areas, which gave a full exemption from rates to ATMs located in rural areas. The aim of the policy was to encourage and sustain the provision of ATMs in rural areas. I am very pleased to say that, when the policy was introduced, there were 37 ATMs in rural areas, and today, as a result of the policy, the number of eligible ATMs has increased to 82.”
“In addition, we are working with the communications regulator, Ofcom, which consulted earlier this year on implementing a UK Government proposal for a universal service obligation to give all households a right to request a broadband connection within a reasonable cost threshold and offering speeds of 10 megabits per second by 2020. Broadband availability in Northern Ireland is increasing, with 94% of households having access to basic broadband services and some 77% to superfast services. <BR /> <BR />In addition, 72% of people use a smartphone, and significant investment is under way by mobile network operators, aimed at addressing partial not-spots by 2017. It is envisaged that mobile not-spots will be reduced to 0·3% of land mass by the time these investments are complete.”
“<BR /> <BR />There is no doubt that access to online banking and financial services is important. Digital services have undoubtedly changed the way consumers engage with banks, and reliable broadband is essential for accessing these services. I very much recognise that some consumers who have faced or are facing closure of their local bank may not have access to the reliable broadband or mobile connection that is necessary to properly support online banking. <BR /> <BR />My Department administers the Northern Ireland Better Broadband project. That provides access to subsidised broadband installation to homes and businesses that are unable to access a broadband service with a download speed of at least two megabits per second.”
“With the exception of First Trust, which provides only limited services, all banks operating in Northern Ireland provide access to banking services through post offices. However, more needs to be done on that to promote these services, as research by the Consumer Council shows that, while satisfaction levels were high with post office banking services, standing at some 81%, only one in four customers had used the post office for banking services. <BR /> <BR />The post office branch network is undergoing its own network transformation programme to make it more viable. There are 477 post offices across Northern Ireland. Of those, 326, or 60%, are in rural areas, and the Consumer Council estimates that an additional 10,500 extra opening hours have been added through this process.”
“It is a protocol that comes into place, I understand, only when the last bank is closing in a town. I think we need to be very careful about encouraging and almost opening the floodgates for banks to rush to close branches in rural communities and, indeed, right across Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />An independent review of the BBA's bank branch protocol was announced in May. The review will provide proposals for the Northern Ireland high street banks. It is being led by Professor Russell Griggs, who is a friend of Northern Ireland and has been involved in banking issues here, and will consider the way banks have applied the protocol, as well as the outcomes for affected customers and communities. <BR /> <BR />The post office network has been mentioned by many contributors. It can also provide an important role in solving the problem.”
“Whilst, unfortunately, some branches in Northern Ireland have closed, many others have been refurbished and upgraded, offering more space and meeting rooms so that customers can meet staff. So I think it is important to acknowledge that banks recognise the need for investment also. <BR /> <BR />Many have asked what we can do to mitigate the impacts of the closures. In Great Britain, as part of the British Banking Association's (BBA) bank protocol, banks must investigate alternative arrangements for customers before closing the last bank in town. Those can include free-to-use cash machines, mobile banking solutions and the use of local post office branches. Unfortunately, to date, the protocol has not been adopted in Northern Ireland. I think there are some weaknesses with the protocol as it currently exists; some Members focused on it.”
“Consumer Council research from Move Your Money shows that there are some fundamental moments in your financial life when you want to speak to someone face to face, such as, obviously, when taking out a mortgage. <BR /> <BR />As we know, human contact engenders trust and confidence, and in a rural area that has an even greater value. A sense of community often depends on a busy, thriving high street, and rural banks are a key element of that. Perhaps one of the most telling results from research carried out by the Consumer Council shows that it is predominantly the more vulnerable in our society — that is, the elderly, disabled and those on low incomes — who are most adversely affected by bank closures.”
“We need to develop progressive relationships with our high street banks so that they remain mindful of the needs of rural communities and those more vulnerable in our society who face the possibility of being left behind and, ultimately, financially excluded. <BR /> <BR />Many will ask what our consumers really think. We hear from our banks that their customers and the data suggest that consumers are behaving very differently. A survey, though, by the Competition and Markets Authority in April last year showed that 63% of consumers found that having a local convenient branch was very important. There is still a fundamental role for branches in retail banking in Northern Ireland.”
“It is important to note that, as I mentioned before, the regulation of financial services is a reserved matter. However, in recent weeks, some Members called on me to meet various banks, but I have, at my instigation, met Danske Bank, Ulster Bank and the Bank of Ireland, and I have plans to meet others in the coming weeks. If we can work together, I think our banks can provide great and early insight into our economy and how it is performing in varying sectors. <BR /> <BR />We have to appreciate that, as the majority of customers change the way they interact with banks, the nature of banking in Northern Ireland will also change.”
“It is important, therefore, that we do not unnecessarily increase the sense of exclusion; rather, we must look to increase the confidence and capability of consumers. However, I recognise that banks are private concerns. As I said, the nature of their business is changing. I want to develop good, open and transparent relationships with the banks so that we fully understand each other.”
“Many people believe that the Northern Ireland high street banks could have done more for their customers, especially those in rural areas, as they have tried to concentrate their branches in major centres of population or close their branches in favour of online banking. With each closure, the impacts on domestic and business customers can be considerable. Businesses suffer reduced footfall, cash flow shortages and concerns around the security of cash lodgements, whereas domestic customers can feel more isolated and excluded from society. The impact of the closures has been felt in rural areas and places where no suitable alternatives to bank branches exist. Northern Ireland already has a high number of unbanked consumers — around 10% — compared with the rest of the UK, which is at 4%.”
“That has now flipped the other way, and now 70% are sold via mortgage intermediaries, without interaction in branches at all. It is that changing behaviour, driven largely by technological change, combined with the impact of the financial crisis and new regulatory costs that has made banks across the UK, Ireland and the world look at the viability of their branch networks. Unfortunately, in the last few months, we have seen, as mentioned, an announcement from the Bank of Ireland that it proposes to close eight branches across Northern Ireland. Since 2010, 104 bank branches have closed here, leaving us with 252 branches across Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />The role of high street banks in our society is still essential. They play a valuable role in our communities.”
“<BR /> <BR />I raise those issues not with the intention of sounding like a spokesperson for the banks — I have a tough enough job without taking that one on — but because, as many Members have acknowledged, we are changing our behaviour in how we interact not just with banks but with a range of services, such as retail and government services. The BBA also showed that there had been a 50% rise in banking app logins, to 11 million per day in 2015. The Bank of Ireland, which is understandably in the eye of the storm in today's debate because of its recent announcements, suggests that as few as 2% of customer transactions are now done in-branch, that there has been a 20% increase in online customers in the past two years and that, two years ago, 70% of mortgages were sold directly via branches or on the phone.”
“The services of the high street banks in Northern Ireland have traditionally been delivered through an extensive network of branches; however, it is indisputable that branch usage is not as high as it once was. As financial innovation has increased, trends in society have seen falls in the demand for traditional banking methods and a significant rise in the use of online banking and electronic payment methods. Recent data from the British Bankers' Association (BBA) shows that the number of bank branch transactions across the United Kingdom has fallen to an average of four per customer per year. The BBA calculates that the average branch in the UK receives 71 visits per day: that is a 32% fall since 2011.”
“I have listened with interest to the debate today and welcome the opportunity to respond to the motion, even though, as several Members have pointed out, my Department or, indeed, any Department in the Executive does not have direct responsibility for banks in Northern Ireland. Nonetheless, it is an important issue that is rightly raised on the Floor. <BR /> <BR />The number of bank closures, particularly in rural areas, is a real concern for the many customers — both local businesses and the wider community — who rely on the services of their local bank. We must, of course, acknowledge that there has been a major shift in how we engage and interact with our high street banks.”
“Yes, absolutely. I can give the Member and the people in his constituency that assurance. The Maiden City Festival, which he cites as a hugely important part of the calendar that has attracted a large number of visitors to Londonderry, is something that we have supported through Tourism NI in recent years, including this year, and we look forward to doing so in the future and building on the success of what has been a tremendous event down through the years.”
“We do not want it to be just a one-off; we need to build on the success that we have already clearly had and, in some respects, make every year a Year of Food and Drink in Northern Ireland.”
“It has been successful already in lots of different ways. Look at the buy-in that there has been. This is a Food NI and Tourism NI initiative — a government-led initiative — but it has been supported by a large number of others, including some supermarkets and big food producers in Northern Ireland. People have really got on board with the whole Year of Food and Drink agenda and taken it to their hearts. Yes, they have used it to help promote their businesses, but they have also used it to promote the food and drink sector in Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />A number of objectives were set around increasing the level of visitor satisfaction, developing new food experiences and developing the skills in the sector. So, when the year is over, we will go back over those and test them.”
“In the recent UK Great Taste Awards, Northern Ireland's food and drink won 303 gold medals — gold stars, sorry. Gold medals? That was more the recent Olympics and Paralympics, obviously. We got 303 gold stars, which is a fantastic achievement — the best ever — for the Northern Ireland food and drink sector. It shows that the Year of Food and Drink has helped to highlight and promote a wonderful sector that is absolutely key to our economy and tourism product and that, hopefully, will go from strength to strength in the years ahead.”
“The Year of Food and Drink has been a huge success for Northern Ireland so far; we are not finished with it yet, as we are only nine months through. It is a really exciting initiative that has presented us with a great opportunity to celebrate Northern Ireland's food and drink. The Member, particularly with his farming background, will know that Northern Ireland has always had a fantastic food and drink offering, which has only improved over the last number of years. We have known that we have a great product in food and drink, but we have not, perhaps, let the world know that, and that is something that has been changing in the last number of years and has been highlighted by the Year of Food and Drink. <BR /> <BR />It was great to see that we are now being acknowledged by others.”
“This is a project that the Executive and the Irish Government have been committed to in principle, which previously fell through for a range of different reasons. If a bid comes forward for future funding, it will have to be dealt with in the appropriate way to ensure that it is a beneficial scheme and has a business case in place and all the rest. It is a project that the Executive and I and the Irish Government have supported in principle and will continue to do so.”
“I will be making bids for infrastructure investment around telecoms, tourism and a range of different aspects of infrastructure. <BR /> <BR />The Member and her party wish to tie everything back to the referendum result, but if she looks at the figures, she will see that our capital expenditure as a nation has been on the rise across the UK recently and does not appear to be affected by the referendum result. In fact, media reports at the weekend suggested that the Prime Minister is incredibly keen to boost even beyond the initial projections for capital expenditure, recognising that it provides a short- and a long-term boost to the economy.”
“I accept the basic premise of the Member's question that infrastructure expenditure is good for the economy. I was in charge of the Finance Department for a number of years and was very keen to do everything we could to increase our capital expenditure because I acknowledge that, if you want to improve and grow your economy, having the best economic infrastructure possible in energy and telecoms, which we were talking about earlier, and road infrastructure is incredibly important for any economy, particularly one like ours. Quite evidently, it also provides a short-term boost to the economy, as more people are employed and more aggregates are used and so on. I absolutely accept the basic premise of the Member's question that more infrastructure investment is good for our economy. It is for the Executive as a whole to take it forward.”
“There are huge opportunities, beyond Europe, to trade to, for example, the Middle East, the Far East, and to South and North America and other parts of the world that have been encumbered by the fact that we have been a member of the European Union. I look forward to the opportunities that being outside the European Union will present for Northern Ireland and for British companies to export beyond Europe. That is what I have been focusing on, particularly in discussions with Liam Fox, to ensure that Northern Ireland is perfectly placed to take advantage of the opportunities that will accrue after the UK leaves the European Union.”
“The Member wishes to go back over a referendum campaign that was fought and, from his perspective, lost many months ago. I am perfectly content with the outcome of the referendum. In my view, there are a huge number of benefits to be accrued not just for the United Kingdom but for Northern Ireland in particular. The very fact that our country will regain control of its borders, its Budget and its laws is incredibly important and incredibly beneficial to Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />In a small market like ours, with 1·8 million people, we have to look outside Northern Ireland if we want to grow our economy. Let us not forget that the eurozone has suffered considerably over the last number of years and has been in decline in large parts.”
“We have been working very hard over the summer period, and we will continue to work through the autumn, to inform the Government on their position in the negotiations. We have been informing them of Northern Ireland's particular circumstances. We have done that through direct meetings I have had with Liam Fox, Greg Clark and David Davis and we will continue to do it to ensure that the Westminster Government and the new Prime Minister know the particular circumstances that Northern Ireland faces and the deal that we want to get.”
“Yes, and Steve Aiken as well. Within days of the referendum, he had dispensed with the need for the Office of National Statistics (ONS) to do its job and declare whether we were in a recession. If a recession is seeing two quarters of negative growth, then, within about three days, Mr Aiken had put the UK into recession. The ONS has now said that the referendum appears not to have had a major effect on the economy. So we will listen to what the ONS is saying and not to Mr Aiken who dispensed with the need for the ONS to do its job. <BR /> <BR />The Member touched on the impact. Is there an impact, will there be challenges and are there issues to deal with? Absolutely, there are. We are absolutely focused on getting the best possible deal for Northern Ireland.”
“Two weeks ago, he was complaining about the benefits of the referendum result in his constituency; where he was seeing booming cross-border trade and exporters were seeing great success over the last number of weeks and months. I apologise to the Member that all his predictions, or the predictions of doom and gloom that he subscribed to, have not come to pass. The number of people who talked about a deep recession coming into place is interesting.”
“The Member is back to the same well as two weeks ago, asking about Brexit.”
“It is appropriate to look at the contracts from time to time. Yes, it is important that we work with private-sector providers, but it is also important to make sure that they are providing value for money and doing the job that we want them to do.”
“That has helped us to improve our broadband infrastructure radically. <BR /> <BR />Superfast broadband is now available to 77% of premises in Northern Ireland, and 38% have taken it up, compared with the UK average of 33%. That has come as a result of a large number of initiatives, including a broadband improvement project in which we invested nearly £24 million. Sometimes, and I said this at Question Time two weeks ago, there is a bit of an obsession with fibre connections. Although everybody wants to get fibre — and I completely understand that — there is a range of alternative technologies available, particularly in rural parts of Northern Ireland that cannot get fibre that easily, that can deliver a decent broadband speed. <BR /> <BR />I am happy to come back to the Member on the issue that she raised and give her more detail.”
“I am happy to provide the Member with all that detail. She, and pretty much everybody in the House, will raise the issue of the standard of broadband connectivity in their constituency. The Member represents a constituency in the west of the Province, and there is sometimes a perception that this is a problem only or largely in the west. However, a lot of Members who represent east of the Province constituencies will be able to tell you that they cannot always get the speeds that people would like, particularly in rural parts. <BR /> <BR />The Member is right that it is increasingly an issue for businesses. Businesses that want to connect globally and do their business internationally need, for lots of reasons, to have good broadband connectivity. I mentioned the £64 million that we have invested since 2008.”
“We have a good track record with broadband in Northern Ireland. We were the first region in the UK — indeed, the first in Europe — to have 100% broadband connectivity. That came as a result of a £64 million investment by the Executive, which, in large part, was matched by private-sector providers, to ensure that our telecommunications infrastructure improved over the past number of years. <BR /> <BR />I am keen to see that continue, in concert with the private-sector providers. I am happy to write to the Member on the review, because I do not have an update to hand.”
“I did not quite catch that. Did the Member say "autumn review"?”
“It is, however, an opportune moment, in concert with the renewable sector and broad energy sector, and, indeed, with wider society, to have a discussion about what future renewables policy might be.”
“I have had a range of discussions with lots of different people from the energy sector. I have a meeting in the diary — I cannot remember for exactly when — with renewable sector representative organisations in the next number of weeks, at which I will be happy to discuss some of the issues that, I am sure, they will raise. <BR /> <BR />The Member describes it as a "vacuum". I said that we have 900 MW of renewable energy already on the grid, 700 MW with offers to go on to the grid and a further 200 MW to be put on to the grid. That would allow us to meet our peak daily demand of 1,800 MW. <BR /> <BR />There are lots of reasons and circumstances as to why the NIRO scheme is coming to an end. It has already ended for some.”
“Resources are certainly a factor in considering future renewables policy, which we will do in the context of a renewed energy policy framework. There is also an impact on grid capacity. The Member will be aware of the difficulties that some people have had with getting connections to the grid and that our grid infrastructure is insufficient in many respects. It has been a success, but there have been consequences.”
“The capacity that we already have online, what we have in offers made, and what we have in offers to be made all adds up to a position where we would have the capacity to meet 100% of demand through renewables. That allows us not only to meet our 40% target but to match the Scottish target, which is a different target, to have 100% renewables capacity. In the next number of years, we will also meet that. We are compared with Scotland, sometimes unfavourably. We are on course to meet not only our own Executive target of 40%, which was in the old Programme for Government, but to similarly meet what the Scottish have had as their target. <BR /> <BR />As a policy, it has, by and large, been successful, but it has been successful with consequences. Mr Kearney's question referred to some of them. It has been costly.”
“I suppose that it depends on how you judge success. I would judge our renewables policy, particularly the renewables obligations, to have been successful in several different ways. I mentioned in my answer that 700 MW of renewables projects have grid-connection offers. I understand that there are 200 MW worth of offers still to be made. That is on top of the 900 MW of renewable energy already online. That will all combine to help the Executive to meet their 2020 target of 40% of electricity being generated through renewable sources. <BR /> <BR />Our peak demand is midweek in the wintertime, at about 1,800 MW; the average demand is about 1,200 MW.”