§ Mr. HarveyTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will detail the provisions for ensuring proper maintenance of(a) coal-fired, (b) oil-fired and (c) gas-fired power stations established under the Electricity Act 1989; and if he will make a statement. [26798]
§ Mr. PagePower stations must comply with emission standards laid down by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution and also with the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 enforced by the Health and Safety Executive. Provided these requirements are met, 363W maintenance standards are a commercial matter for the operators. However, the pricing mechanism by which generators receive payment from the electricity pool includes an element related to the availability of generating capacity, and this gives generators a market incentive to ensure that their stations are sufficiently well maintained to be available.