§ 16. Mr. Lewisasked the Minister of Fuel and Power the number of electric power and generating stations completed in each of the years from 1945–52.
§ Mr. Geoffrey LloydAs the answer is long and contains a number of figures, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. LewisCan the Minister say whether the total number last year was 854 more or less than in the previous year? If it were less, can he explain the reasons for the smaller number and can he say what action the Government intend to take to increase production?
§ Mr. LloydThe reason why the answer is long is that the hon. Gentleman has asked his Question in a form to which it is impossible intelligently to reply without giving a large number of qualifications. The point is that the increased output of electricity each year does not depend on the number of stations completed but very largely, and indeed predominantly, on various instalments of stations which are completed. The increase in the number of megawatts sent out last year was much bigger than the increase in previous years.
Following is the statement:
Generating stations are of many different sizes and, while some are completed in one continuous operation, others are built in separate stages over long periods. In some cases also additions, not originally planned, are made to existing stations. It is therefore difficult to find a clear definition of the completion of power stations and the figures based on any arbitrary definition would not be of very great value.The usual measure of the increase of capacity in each year is, therefore, the number of megawatts of generating plant brought into service. I give in the table below for each year the total generating capacity completed (expressed in megawatts sent out) in the British Electricity Authority area. I also give for each year the number of stations which reached their final capacity according to the programme at that time.
Year Megawatts sent out Stations reaching programme capacity 1945 … … 181 2 1946 … … 307 1 1947 … … 340 3 1948 … … 566 4 1949 … … 703 4 1950 … … 965 6 1951 … … 1,113 2 1952 … … 1,539 3