§ 29. Mr. Tudor Watkinsasked the Minister of Power what was the capacity and the capital cost of new generating plant ordered by the Central Electricity Generating Board during the four years 1961 to 1964 and during the four years 1965 to 1968.
§ Mr. FreesonTwenty-four and six thousand Megawatts respectively, at a capital cost of approximately £1,240 million and £460 million. The lower rate of orders during the later period was to correct the over-ordering during 1961–64 1142 as a result of over-estimation of future demand in those years.
§ Mr. WatkinsWill the Minister tell the House what efforts have been made to bring capacity and demand into balance?
§ Mr. FreesonThe long-term effect of power station orders—some units ordered before 1964 will not come fully into commission until 1972—precludes the short-term matching of plant capacity with demand, but the capital expenditure programme, as I have already said, has been adjusted downwards in the last years to try to achieve a balance in the future.