§ 12. Mr. H. Fraserasked the Minister of Fuel and Power why a breakdown at one sub-station on Friday, 10th August at 10 p.m. caused an almost total blackout for 75 minutes in the Potteries, Newcastle and Stone areas; and whether he has to report any alterations in the normal electricity grid arrangements for these districts.
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§ Mr. GaitskellI have received from the British Electricity Authority a report under Regulation 21 (c) of the Electricity Supply Regulations, 1937, on the breakdown which occurred on Friday, 6th August, to which I assume the hon. Member is referring. The cause of the breakdown was a failure of a switch at the new grid sub-station associated with the new generating station at Meaford. The work necessary to link up this station with the grid is not yet complete and because of this the switch failure resulted in a complete shut-down of the substation and of the grid lines to Stafford and Stoke, where the local generating plant was unable to meet the load. This work of linking Meaford to the grid should be completed shortly and serve to prevent any recurrence of a breakdown of this kind.