§ Mr. Ashtonasked the Minister of Power if he will give the latest estimates of the costs of electricity sent out from the power stations listed in Table F of Appendix III to Command Paper No. 3438, and the figure for the coal-fired station at Ratcliffe-on-Soar; and when each of the stations is expected to be in operation.
§ Mr. MasonThe C.E.G.B.'s latest estimates are as follows:
Station Base Load Generating Cost (d. per unit) Year of Commissioning Nuclear Dungeness "B" … 0.56 1972 Hinkley Point "B" … 0.52 1972 Coal-fired Ratcliffe … 0.55 1968 Cottam … 0.60 1969 Drax … 0.61† 1971 Oil-fired Pembroke (with tax) … 0.59 1970 Pembroke (without tax) … 0.48 1970 * On the assumption of a 30-year life for coal and oil-fired stations, and 25 years for A.G.R. stations. † On the assumption that the whole 3.96 OMW station is completed.
§ Mr. Ashtonasked the Minister of Power why the estimate submitted to him by the Central Electricity Generating Board now forecasts the base load cost of electricity from Cottam to be 0.60d. per unit, instead of 0.53d. as originally estimated.
§ Mr. MasonThe Central Electricity Generating Board tell me that the change is brought about by increases in the estimate of construction cost, in interest rates, and in estimated cost of coal delivered to the power station.