HC Deb 16 February 1965 vol 706 cc985-7
12. Mr. Hordern

asked the Minister of Power how much money is being spent by the Central Electricity Generating Board and area boards on research on undergrounding cables; and what proportion such research bears to the whole cost of research by the Central Electricity Generating Board and area boards.

Mr. John Morris

It is not possible to give a precise answer to this question. Of a total expenditure on research and development of about £7 million a year by the boards, roughly £1 million is spent on transmission and distribution, and of this between 10 and 20 per cent. is spent on undergrounding cables. In addition, a large amount of research is done by manufacturers and receives support from the boards through their purchases of cables. My right hon. Friend is satisfied that no promising project is being neglected.

Mr. Hordern

I am grateful to the hon. Member for his reply, but it seems that the amount of money spent on research on transmission techniques is very small. In view of the proposal to erect a 400 kV line right across the whole of south-east England and the further proposal to erect a 700 kV line towards the 1970s, would the hon. Gentleman increase the allocation of expendi- ture on research on transmission techniques before then?

Mr. Morris

There is a substantial amount of research going on, as the hon. Member will see from the Answer. The Central Electricity Generating Board has placed or is about to place contracts worth about £21 million for 275 kV and 400 kV cables of a pioneering type, for example those with an exceptionally large cross-section and with the provision of water cooling. These contracts reflect a substantial amount of indirect support for the research and development efforts of the cable manufacturers.

Mr. Palmer

Is my hon. Friend aware that the Central Electricity Generating Board is one of the most enterprising research organisations in the country and in this matter is very much a model for most of private enterprise?

Sir G. Nicholson

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that there is great uneasiness throughout large parts of the country at the apparent unwillingness of the Board to consider underground cables as opposed to overhead lines? As areas of great natural beauty may be severely damaged, am I not right in thinking that he would wish his Department to carry opinion with it? In order to do that, must there not be more evidence of thought being given to underground transmission?

Mr. Morris

The Central Electricity Generating Board is giving a substantial amount of thought to the possibility of underground cabling, but the hon. Member is surely aware that the cost of taking a 400 kV line underground is something between 18 and 20 times the cost of taking it above ground. It works out at about £1 million a mile. These are some of the problems which have been and are being studied.

13. Mr. Hordern

asked the Minister of Power what proportion of the cables of the Central Electricity Generating Board and the area boards have been laid underground, respectively; and what is the estimated cost in total of the existing plans for undergrounding cables.

Mr. John Morris

As the Answer involves a number of figures, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. Hordern

While thanking the hon. Gentleman for that reply, may I ask whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction at the decision not to put underground any part of the 400kV line? In view of the admittedly large sums expended on undergrounding lines and the fact that there is a great deal of dissatisfaction already about the method of consulta-

PROPORTION OF UNDERGROUND MAINS AS AT 31st MARCH, 1964
Circuit miles Proportion of total laid underground
Overhead Underground Total
Central Electricity Generating Board 13,214.17 1,086.76 14,300.93 7.6per cent.
Area Boards* 82,983.47 57,415.505 140,398.975 40.9per cent.
* Lines of over 650 volts only. Separate overhead and underground figures for lower voltage lines are not available.

The Generating Board plan to spend £106 million on underground cables in the next four years. A similar forecast for the Area Boards is not available, but given in the table below is expenditure by the Area Boards in the last two completed financial years, together with corresponding figures for the Central Electricity Generating Board.

CAPITAL EXPENDITURE ON OVERHEAD LINES AND UNDERGROUND MAINS (EXCLUDING AREA BOARDS' SERVICES) IN 1962–63 AND 1963–64
Central Electricity Generating Board Overhead lines Underground and other cables Proportion of total spent on underground cable
1962–63 … … … £10,054,326 £9,093,683 47.5 per cent.
1963–64 … … … £15,508,920 £11,492,184 42.6per cent.
Area Boards Overhead mains Underground mains
1962–63 … … … £9,838,881 £45,518,459 82.2per cent.
1963–64 … … … £11,009,441 £55,974,850 83.6per cent.