§ Mr. McGuireasked the Minister of Technology if he will state the estimated costs per unit of electricity sent out from the Magnox stations revised to take account of the effects of corrosion recently detected inside the reactors.
Mr. Alan WilliamsEstimates of electricity costs are calculated on the basis of assumptions about the life-time performance of the stations concerned, whatever their fuel. Temporary reductions in output do not necessarily mean a revision of these estimates. We cannot usefully consider whether a revision is necessary for these Magnox stations until the present investigation into the corrosion problem is completed.
§ Mr. Adam Hunterasked the Minister of Technology what action will be necessary to restore the Magnox stations to their previous operating capacity following the problems caused by corrosion inside the reactors; what the cost of that action will be; and how long it is estimated to take.
Mr. Alan WilliamsIt is not yet possible to say. We must await the outcome 229W of the investigation which the C.E.G.B., with the assistance of the U.K.A.E.A. and the consortia, are now making into the whole problem.