§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Energy what conclusions were reached by the EEC Council of Ministers on the proposals contained in Annexes I and II respectively, of the Draft Regulation R/1472/74 (ENER 28) concerning limitation of use of natural gas and petroleum products in power stations.
§ Mr. John SmithThe EEC Commission's proposals in Annexes I and II of424W R/1472/74 (ENER 28) have been revised in the light of member States' views. An amended version of the directive on the restriction of the use of natural gas in power stations was agreed at the Energy Council on 17th December 1974 and formally adopted at the Energy Council on 13th February 1975. An amended version of the directive on the restriction of the use of petroleum products in power stations was agreed at the 13th February Energy Council and formally adopted at the Council on 14th–15th April 1975.
§ Mr. Rostasked the Secretary of State for Energy, in pursuit of his policy of energy conservation, if his Department has studied combined heat and electricity power stations operating in Sweden and elsewhere.
§ Mr. EadieI have visited combined heat and power stations in Sweden, Denmark and Germany, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State hopes to visit one in Sweden shortly. Engineers from my Department have visited Scandinavia to study combined heat and power schemes, and their experience will be taken into account by the group which is examining the subject under the chairmanship of my Chief Scientist.
§ Mr. Rostasked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the average percentage thermal efficiency of oil and coal-fired power stations in the United Kingdom; and if he will show, from information available to him from international sources, how this compares with the thermal efficiency of power stations at Malmo and Vasteras in Sweden.
§ Mr. EadieThe average thermal efficiency of all oil- and coal-fired power stations in the United Kingdom is not known, since many are in the private sector, particularly those which employ combined heat and power. The latest published figure for the average thermal efficiency of all fossil-fired power stations operated by the CEGB during 1973–74 was 29.83 per cent. Provisionally, the corresponding figure for the year 1974–75 is 30 57 per cent. These figures cannot be compared directly with the high thermal efficiencies achieved in the particular heat and power schemes in Malmo and Vasteras.
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§ Mr. Rostasked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will list all power stations burning coal or oil operated by the CEGB, in merit order of thermal efficiency;
(2) what is the average percentage thermal efficiency of the top 20 power stations on the CEGB merit order; and what is the percentage of the bottom 20
§ Mr. EadieI am asking the Chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board to write to the hon. Member.