§ Mr. Eadieasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the estimated life of Cockenzie coal-fired power station; and how many permanent jobs are in being there.
§ Mr. Gordon CampbellAbout 35 years. At present there are 504 permanent jobs at Cockenzie.
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§ Mr. Eadieasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the yearly consumption of coal at Cockenzie power station when generating a full capacity; how much will be mined by pits surrounding the complex; how much outside the complex; and what are the pits the coal will come from with the estimated costs.
§ Mr. Gordon CampbellI understand that Cockenzie's maximum annual demand for coal is about 2 million tons. The sources of supply, and the cost of production at particular pits, are matters for the National Coal Board.
§ Mr. Eadieasked the Secretary of State for Scotland at current prices, what would be the estimated cost of Hunterston B nuclear and Cockenzie coal-fired power stations.
§ Mr. Gordon CampbellNo comparison with Hunterston B nuclear power station can be made as construction is incomplete and final costs are not yet known. At present-day prices the South of Scotland Electricity Board would expect the capital cost of a large coal-fired station to be about 40 per cent, less than for a nuclear station of equal capacity; but the cost of electricity to the consumer reflects running costs as well as capital costs and the former are substantially lower for nuclear stations than for coal-fired stations.