§ Mr. John Astorasked the Minister of Power if, in view of the development of the advanced gas-cooled reactor, which will reduce the need for overhead transmission lines, he will give a general direction to the Central Electricity Generating Board to reconsider their present plans for extending the 400 kilovolt grid system.
§ Mr. Frederick LeeNo. Present plans for extending the 400 kilovolt grid are required to meet power demands up to 1970. Thereafter lines will be needed mainly to connect new power stations to the grid and to increase bulk supplies to the lower voltage networks. The development of the advanced gas-cooled reactor, whose cooling water requirements are similar to those of coal or oil-fired stations, will not lessen these needs.