Power Stations (Generating Capacity and Coal Firing) (Hansard, 14 June 1966)

§ 29. Mr. Peyton
asked the Minister of Power what is the total of new generating capacity planned for the next 10 years; and what proportion of this will be coal fired.

§ Mr. Marsh
The Central Electricity Generating Board plans to commission 27,000 megawatts in England and Wales in the next five years, of which nearly 70 per cent. will be coal fired. Its provisional estimate for the following five years is 25,000 megawatts, but plans for the period are not settled and the proportion of coal fired plant is a matter yet to be decided.

§ Mr. Peyton
While I admit that the Minister has some difficult problems to solve here, does he not think that it would be wise to look at this matter with a view to reducing the proportion of power stations or new capacity which is wholly dependent on coal firing, particularly in view of the fact that his answers to supplementary questions on the previous Ouestion lend weight to this suggestion?

§ Mr. Marsh
The Central Electricity Generating Board's plant programme for the next five years is already committed. The size of the programme for the second five years will depend on the trend of electricity demand. In the Ministry of Power we are now looking at the whole question of fuel supplies in terms of producing various interactions of different types of fuel to find out the future picture. However, any suggestion that the British coal mining industry is withering away is absolute nonsense and does very real damage to the interests of this country.

§ Mr. Alison
Is my right hon. Friend aware that the C.E.G.B. is already expressing misgivings about the assurances that have been given that it will get sufficient suitable coal for burning in coal-fired power stations? If such misgivings are being expressed now, what is the position likely to be in 1970? Does my right hon. Friend have plans for the conversion of stations to alternative fuel burning in the present generation?

§ Mr. Marsh
There is no reason to suppose that the C.E.G.B. will not be able to obtain the coal it requires. No representations to the contrary have been made to me.