§ 14. Sir David Priceasked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the current price advantage of electricity produced from a base load nuclear power station with
236W similar oil and coal-fired power stations, respectively; and what is the current contribution of each method of pricing to the national grid measured as percentages.
Representative Prices of UK and OPEC Crude oils for Term Contract Purchases United Kingdom Forties S. Arabia Light Nigeria Bonny Light Abu Dhabi Murban Libya Es Sider Quarterly Average of Opec Prices Q II 1980 April 1 34.25 28.00 34.69 29.56 34.50 May 1 31.56 30.45 May 20 36.25 36.50 May 22 36.69 Q III 1980 July 1 37.00 36.78 August 1 30.00 31.80 September 1 33.56 Q IV 1980 November 1 32.00 32.70 Q I 1981 January 1 39.25 40.00 36.56 40.78 34.95 Q II 1981 June 15 35.00 34.70 July 1 39.68 Q III 1981 August 26 36.00 34.20 Q IV 1981 October 1 34.00 34.50 34.30 November 1 36.50 36.50 35.70 37.28 Q I 1982 January 1 35.50 36.50 February 8 35.00 33.90 March 1 31.00 Current Price 31.00 34.00 *35.50 35.50 *35.50 Footnotes *Unconfirmed $per barrel Prices are not comparable unless account is taken of differences in quality and location.
§ Mr. John MooreThe CEGB's estimate for 1980–81 of the generating costs for Hinkley Point B nuclear station and Drax coal station, which both operated close to base load, is that Hinkley Point had costs in that year some 22 per cent. lower than Drax. Although oil stations are not normally operated on base load, I am advised by the CEGB that nuclear station's costs would have been some 55 per cent. below those of a modern oil station operated in this way. In the same year nuclear power contributed 10.7 per cent. of electricity supplies, coal 82.3 per cent. and oil 7 per cent.