Coal-fired Power Stations

HC Deb 20 March 1978 vol 946 cc945-6

1. Mr. Edwin Wainwright

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will bring forward proposals for further coal-fired power stations.

The Under-Secretary of State for Energy (Mr. Alex Eadie)

My right hon. Friend's approval has not been sought for any coal-fired station beyond Drax B. The timing of future orders will depend on many factors including the growth of electricity demand.

Mr. Wainwright

Does my hon. Friend realise that we are exhorting miners to increase production and efficiency but that we are giving them no guarantee that the coal they produce will not be left on the floor at the top of the pit instead of being used in coal-fired stations? Is it not time that we planned to build more coal-fired stations so that we could guarantee that the coal produced by the miners would be consumed?

Mr. Eadie

The CEGB's plan up to the early 1990s will provide a capacity to burn 85 million or 90 million tonnes of coal. On the question of future markets for coal, we are looking closely at the possibilities for exports. My hon. Friend asked about new power stations, but no application has been made for new capital investment.

Mr. Skeet

Has the Minister had an opportunity to examine the Health and Safety Commission's report indicating 1.8 deaths for every 1,000 megawatts of power produced by coal compared with only 0.25 deaths with nuclear power? Should he not therefore accept a recommendation for more nuclear power stations rather than more coal-fired power stations?

Mr. Eadie

I believe that the view the hon. Member is advancing would command only minority support throughout the House. We have always said that it would be a great mistake for this country to be dependent on one source of energy.

Mr. Skinner

Has my hon. Friend seen the recent article in The Times to the effect that if no more coal-fired power stations—apart from Drax B—are built by the early 1980s the power produced by coal will fall from 65 per cent. to 51 per cent. of the total, and that that will be disastrous for the mining industry at a time when it is producing a little more coal?

On the question of exports, will my hon. Friend do something about the Common Market? It is burning less British coal now than it did at the time of the referendum. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State said at the time that the Common Market was no good to us. That has been proved to be the case.

Mr. Eadie

I can only repeat that coal-burning capacity will be 85 million to 90 million tonnes. We are of course looking at other uses for coal and we expect to produce a report on that. British coal is the cheapest in the Common Market.

Mr. Rost

Are there not clear indications that even Drax B could be out of date long before it is completed since the trend will be increasingly towards converting coal into oil and gas in order to burn it more efficiently?

Mr. Eadie

The CEGB was quite satisfied with the cost of generating electricity by burning coal. As for future developments, I agree with the hon. Member that coal is a very valuable raw material.