HC Deb 08 July 1958 vol 591 cc184-5
24. Mr. Nabarro

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland on what grounds the Strathfarrar and Kilmorack Hydro-Electric Scheme has been considered more economical than pumped storage schemes, sites and suitable conditions for which are available elsewhere in the area of the North of Scotland Board at lower capital and operating costs than those of the Strathfarrar and Kilmorack proposals.

Mr. N. Macpherson

A pumped storage scheme is most economically operated at a low load factor and could not therefore take the place of the conventional Strathfarrar and Kilmorack Scheme, which is designed to supply electricity for intermediate loads at a load factor of 29 per cent. on the Board's system.

Mr. Nabarro

Has my hon. Friend read this year's Finance Bill? Is not he aware that Clause 32 of the Bill provides the moneys for these extravagant schemes in the North of Scotland? As the proposals at Strathfarrar and Kilmorack will cost four times as much in capital costs as equivalent pumped storage schemes, sites for which are readily available, would not he now reconsider the matter, withdraw the Strathfarrar and Kilmorack scheme and substitute more economical pumped storage proposals?

Mr. Macpherson

My hon. Friend is really misinformed about the relative costs involved. I can assure him that he is quite wrong in assuming that the supplies from pumped storage would be at lower cost, and I think that he has not taken into account the cost of supplying the power from base load nuclear stations which would be required to make possible the pumped storage.

Mr. Woodburn

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that it is no economy to provide at enormous cost nuclear power stations merely to pump up water that could not be used economically and that pumped storage is used only at high peak loads of the day? Is he aware that the plan is to supply all the different needs—the intermediate needs, the full load needs and the high peak period needs—and that economically Strathfarrar is by far the cheapest way of doing it in all the circumstances?

Mr. Macpherson

The right hon. Gentleman is quite right. The purpose of the Strathfarrar scheme is to supply intermediate needs whereas the purpose of pumped storage schemes would be to meet peak loads.