HC Deb 11 January 1993 vol 216 cc543-4W
Mr. Beggs

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what statutory right of access for third parties there will be to the proposed Scotland-Northern Ireland electricity interconnector.

Mr. Atkins

During the first 15 years the capacity of the interconnector is reserved to NIE plc. Thereafter, subject to the interconnector having spare capacity and the regulator establishing a suitable trading system, direct trade across the interconnector will be possible.

Mr. Beggs

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what capacity in megawatts is presently proposed for the Scotland-Northern Ireland electricity interconnector; and to what extent this proposed capacity is sufficient to allow third party access.

Mr. Atkins

The capacity of the proposed interconnector is 250 megawatts. All the available capacity is reserved to NIE plc during the first 15 years. Thereafter, subject to the regulator establishing a suitable trading system, generators, NIE and its supply competitors will be able to trade across the interconnector up to its maximum capacity.

Mr. Beggs

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the agreement between Northern Ireland Electricity and Scottish Power on the proposed Scotland-Northern Ireland electricity interconnector constitutes a formal contract.

Mr. Atkins

NIE and Scottish Power have entered into legally binding heads of agreement and formal contracts are being drawn up.

Mr. Beggs

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what calculation his Department has made of the differential in electricity prices for large industrial users in Northern Ireland as opposed to the rest of the United Kingdom following(a) the introduction of the new bulk supply tariff, (b) the application of the transitional arrangements to the BST and (c) the expiry of these arrangements in 1994–95.

Mr. Atkins

Terms to supply consumers using more than 1MW of electricity are contained in individual commercially confidential contracts. It is not, therefore, possible for the Department to make such comparisons.