HL Deb 06 June 1989 vol 508 cc721-2

2.48 p.m.

Lord Campbell of Croy asked Her Majesty's Government:

What arrangements are being made to increase the capacity of the electricity link between the United Kingdom and France.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Department of Energy (Baroness Hooper)

My Lords, there are no present plans to increase the capacity of the cross-Channel link. It will be for the industry to decide whether it wishes to increase trading links with France.

Lord Campbell of Croy

My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend for her reply. While no doubt this link has been most useful in helping at peak hours, can my noble friend confirm that the electricity received at this end has been cheap, bearing in mind that about 70 per cent. of the electricity generated in France comes from nuclear sources, much of it from PWR reactors?

Baroness Hooper

My Lords, I can confirm to my noble friend that electricity imported from France is competitive with that produced in large coal-fired power stations in the UK. That is in part due to the fact that it is an interruptible supply. However, the detailed pricing arrangements are commercially confidential to the utilities concerned. I emphasise that the link is used to supply electricity not only at peak times but at other times as well.

Lord Taylor of Gryfe

My Lords, is the Minister aware that with the opening of the Torness power station in Scotland the present power line capacity for exporting to England is inadequate? That prevents the Scottish electricity authorities exporting electricity as cheap as the French and it prevents the English consumer taking advantage of the Scottish enterprise.

Baroness Hooper

My Lords, that is not the same question as that on the Order Paper. However, I am aware that investigations are being carried out on routeing and any necessary reinforcement which may be required to upgrade the Scottish inter-connector to provide for a potential increase in capacity.

Lord Renton

My Lords, can my noble friend say how the amount of electricity supplied by France compares with the amount of electricity which Britain has supplied to France?

Baroness Hooper

My Lords, the balance is in favour of imports from France. In 1986–7 we exported 188 gigawatt hours.

Lord Williams of Elvel

My Lords, are the South and South-Eastern Electricity Boards negotiating with Electricité de France for a new link after privatisation?

Baroness Hooper

My Lords, the current contract between the CEGB and Electricité de France is due to expire at the end of this year. That contract is currently being renegotiated by the national grid division of the CEGB. I am unaware of other separate negotiations, but it is open to the industry to negotiate direct.

Lord De Freyne

My Lords, can my noble friend say how much it has cost this country to import electricity from France?

Baroness Hooper

My Lords, no, not without notice.