HC Deb 30 July 1952 vol 504 cc152-3W
Mr. Nabarro

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the aggregate capital expenditure of the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board in respect of each calendar year, or nearest related chargeable accounting period since 1945, or commencement of operations, whichever is the earlier, and what is the anticipated capital expenditure for 1952, to the nearest £1 million.

Mr. J. Stuart

information:

Calendar Year £
1943–44 136,846
1945 195,954
1946 1,796,204
1947 5,040,666
1948 12,401,739
1949 13,410,673
1950 12,213,551
1951 11,409,786
1952 (estimate) 14,000,000

In addition a sum of £8,772,346 is charged in the Board's accounts for 1950 representing the net values of the assets of company and municipal undertakings which vested in the Board as at 1st April, 1948.

Mr. Nabarro

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the capital expenditure in respect of all completed and installed hydro-electric works under the control of the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board at 30th June, 1952, and the separate figures for total capital expenditure in respect of transmission and distribution and all ancillary services at that date; what additional sums are represented by work in hand at 30th June, 1952; and what further expenditure has been authorised by him for works of a capital nature not yet started.

Mr. J. Stuart

I am informed by the Board that the capital expenditure to 30th June, 1952, on completed hydroelectric schemes (including a sum equivalent to the cost of the pre-war Rannoch and Tummel schemes) was £35,852,000: that uncompleted hydro-electric schemes on which work has begun are estimated to cost £39,500,000: and that hydroelectric schemes authorised but not yet begun are estimated to cost £800,000.

As regards transmission and distribution, the expenditure in the whole of the Board's area—which is not, of course, entirely supplied from hydro-electric sources—amounted at 30th June to £5,902,000 and £18,188,000 respectively.

Mr. Nabarro

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the installed capacity, kilowatts installed, of hydro-electric works under the control of the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board at 30th June, 1952; and the average overall load-factor of such installations.

Mr. J. Stuart

I am informed by the Board that the total installed capacity of their hydra-electric works at 30th June, 1952, was 391,000 kilowatts, with an average annual load factor of 27.4 per cent.