§ 64. Mr. Edwin Wainwrightasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects the Wylfa nuclear power station to come into operation; what is likely to be the final capital cost and the latest estimate of the cost per unit sent out; and how these compare with the original estimates.
§ Mr. RidleyThe provision of detailed information about individual power stations is a matter of day-to-day management which, under the Electricity Acts, is the responsibility of the C.E.G.B. I am therefore asking the Chairman of the Board to write to the hon. Member.
§ Mr. WainwrightDoes the hon. Gentleman agree that he should know the facts and figures and should make some comparison of what has actually happened? Is he not aware that, for a long time now, the N.C.B. has been questioning the figures from the nuclear power stations? Some of us might agree that nuclear power is the future power not only for this country but for the world, but would he not also consider that it can have a great effect on the Coal Board and the future of the mining industry if the correct figures are not given?
§ Mr. RidleyThe trouble at Wylfa has been the delay caused by corrosion of some components in the reactor core. This is a technical hitch, which will be overcome. The result has been to delay the coming into operation of the station. It does not affect the economics of the station, apart from the small cost of the extra delay, and does not affect the calculations upon which the decision to build the stationed was based.