HC Deb 05 February 1991 vol 185 c74W
Mr. Morgan

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what assessment he has made of the proportion of electricity generating capacity that will remain in the public sector for each of the next five years.

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

The nuclear electricity genera ting capacity in England and Wales will remain in the public sector. Under the terms of the non-fossil fuel obligation, the regional electricity companies are required to contract for amounts of nuclear generating capacity that decline from 8.553 GW in 1990–91 to 7.388 GW in 1995–96. In 1990–91 the nuclear obligation represented about 14 per cent. of the total generating capacity in England and Wales. The proportion that the nuclear obligation will represent in future years will largely depend on decisions within the private sector as to the amount of non-nuclear capacity.