§ Lord HYLTONasked Her Majesty's Government:
What stage has been reached with the application by the Midlands Electricity Board to build a combined power station supplying steam and hot water as well as electricity to local industries at Hereford; and whether they will give encouragement to similar schemes elsewhere.
§ Lord STRABOLGIThe Midlands Electricity Board applied on 10th August 1977 for the consent of my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Energy under Section 2 of the Electric Lighting Act 1909, and deemed planning permission under Section 40 (1) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971, to construct a diesel generating station at Hereford in connection with a proposed combined heat and power scheme.
In addition the Board also require the Secretary of State's authorisations under Section 6 (2) of the Electricity Act 1957 to generate electricity (a function 678WA otherwise reserved to the Central Electricity Generating Board), and Section 14 (3) of the Energy Act 1976 to establish an oil-fired generating station. The last requirement makes it necessary to consider also the possibility of using alternative fuels. These matters are under close consideration and a decision will be announced as soon as possible.
The Government's concern over combined heat and power development and the possibilities it offers for energy conservation led my right honourable friend to set up a study group under his Department's Chief Scientist. The recent report from a Working Party of the Group, published as Energy Paper No. 20, indicated a major step forward in our understanding of the district heating aspects of CHP. The electricity supply industry has itself examined a large number of possible district heating and industrial schemes seeking those that could save energy economically. My right honourable friend welcomes the opportunity to consider initiatives in the CHP field.
House adjourned at eighteen minutes past six o'clock.