Electricity Supply (Hansard, 26 November 1984)

§ 1. Mr. Allen McKay
asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board to discuss electricity supply.

§ The Secretary of State for Energy (Mr. Peter Walker)
I have regular meetings with the chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board at which we discuss issues of common interest.

§ Mr. McKay
Has the Secretary of State discussed with the chairman the medium and long-term method of producing energy, bearing in mind that when gas runs out an additional 100 million tonnes of coal per year will be needed to meet our current gas needs? As the Secretary of State says that only 100 million tonnes will be produced, what will happen to the electricity industry? Where will it obtain its fuel and what type of supply is intended?

§ Mr. Walker
In any discussions about the long-term demands of the CEGB the chairman and I agree that coal has an important role to play and that coal produced efficiently at low cost will be an important factor.

§ Mr. Mason
Did the chairman assure the right hon. Gentleman that there would be no power cuts throughout the winter if the strike maintains its present momentum? What did he reveal to the Secretary of State about the increase of coal imports, new contracts which have been made and countries which are now supplying the CEGB?

§ Mr. Walker
The CEGB is receiving virtually no supplies from imports. Yes. I have had an assurance from the chairman that there will be no fuel cuts this winter if present coal supplies continue.

§ Mr. Orme
Has the Secretary of State seen the two recent independent reports on coal stocks? If those reports are correct, when will coal have to be removed from the pitheads to certain power stations, and how will the Government seek to do that?

§ Mr. Walker
Coal is being moved from pitheads to power stations at present because many pitheads are working. I shall deal with present stocks later but, in order to give the right hon. Gentleman a preview, he will be pleased to know that present coal stocks are about exactly the same as they were on 26 August.