HC Deb 11 February 1952 vol 495 cc140-1W
Mr. Nabarro

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will state the capital cost of providing one megawatt of new electricity generating capacity in each of the following hydro-electric alternatives, to the capital cost of£60,000, fair average figure, per megawatt at January 1952 for steam power-house construction, namely, the Scottish Hydro-Electric Scheme, completed to date, and the North Wales Hydro-Electric Power Schemes, projected.

Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd

I am informed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland that the Loch Sloy hydro-electric scheme, designed to operate as a peak load station at a load factor of 10 per cent., cost£81,000 per megawatt: and that the Tummel-Garry (Clunie and Pitlochry sections), the Fannich and the Affric schemes, working at an average load factor of 35 per cent., were constructed at an average cost of£136,000 per megawatt. These costs were incurred over a period of years and it would not be possible to relate them to present prices.

I am informed by the British Electricity Authority that the designed load factor of the proposed North Wales schemes is about 18 per cent. and the average estimated cost is£100,000 per megawatt.