HC Deb 18 May 1953 vol 515 cc1691-2
42 Mr. Nabarro

asked the Minister of Supply (1) the anticipated completion date of the atomic power station at Calder Hall; the planned capacity expressed in kilowatts installed, KWI; the arrangements proposed for division and apportionment of the capital cost as between the vote of his department and the British Electricity Authority; and the estimated total cost of the power station in relation to the installed capacity;

(2) whether he will make a statement upon the progress of his discussions with the British Electricity Authority upon the integration of his programme for building atomic power stations with the Authority's programme for thermal or coal-driven power stations, as formulated forward to 1960, with a view to preventing development of designs for heavy plant at coal-driven stations which cannot later be adapted for, or converted to, atomic power;

(3) whether he has yet formed an estimate of the cost of production of one unit of electricity at the Calder Hall experimental atomic power station compared with the cost of production at a modern coal-driven power station owned by the British Electricity Authority; whether the Authority has yet contracted to buy for the grid the entire output of Calder Hall station and at what price; and how the finances of these transactions are to be arranged as between his Department and the nationalised undertaking.

Mr. Sandys

As has already been stated, the projected atomic power station at Calder Hall is an experimental one; and I am not at present prepared to commit myself to estimates of the completion date, the planned electrical capacity, or the cost. Discussions about the appropriate financial arrangements are at present proceeding with the British Electricity Authority, whose technicians will be given such information as they may require in connection with their future plans.

Mr. Nabarro

While I recognise my right hon. Friend's difficulty in giving a specific assurance about a possible completion date, may I ask him whether he can deal with the point in the second of my Questions? In view of the fact that the British Electricity Authority's capital programme covers a period of six to seven years ahead, can he assure us that the atomic power station is being constructed in such a way that none of the heavy plant for the British Electricity Authority will be incapable of adaptation for atomic use at a later date if that is necessary?

Mr. Sandys

We have that consideration well in mind, of course.