§ Lord Stoddart of SwindonMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the prospects of maintaining the electricity supply to all parts of the United Kingdom during the coming winter.
§ Viscount DavidsonMy Lords, the electricity supply industry plans to meet demand during cold winters and has sufficient generating capacity plant to meet forecast demand for the coming winter. The area boards' distribution network in southern England was severely damaged in the storm of 16th October. The boards mounted a massive exercise to effect repairs rapidly and to restore power to all customers. Some of this work was, of necessity, temporary. The boards have now embarked on a major programme of permanent repairs. The system will be more vulnerable until this work is complete, but every effort is being made to restore the system as quickly as possible.
§ Lord Stoddart of SwindonMy Lords, I thank the noble Viscount for that full reply. Does he agree that it was the dedication of the staff and the integration of the system that saved the country, particularly the South of England, from absolute catastrophe on the night of the great hurricane on 16th October? Does he also agree that the South of England is under great threat because of a shortage of generating capacity and a lack of transmission capacity to transfer electricity from the north to the south of the country? Are the Government urging along the two new power stations in the South of England and making it possible for them to be completed at the earliest moment?
§ Viscount DavidsonMy Lords, I agree with the noble Lord that after the unprecedented devastation caused by the storm on 16th October there was a magnificent effort by the electricity industry to reconnnect so many consumers so quickly in such dangerous and arduous conditions.
As regards future power stations in the South of England, the CEGB has recently lodged an application for a pressurised water reactor at Hinkley Point in Somerset and has announced its intention to submit applications around the end of the year for two new coal-fired stations. One is planned to be sited at Fawley near Southampton. Each application will be considered on its merits and will be subject to obtaining the appropriate planning, safety and environmental consents. I can assure the noble Lord that the Government are fully apprised of the urgency of this matter.