HC Deb 30 January 1968 vol 757 cc256-7W
Mr. J. H. Osborn

asked the Minister of Power (1) on the basis that the average pit head cost per ton of coal of the 14 most efficient collieries is 56s. 4d.. what estimate he has made of the pit head cost per ton of coal suitable for use by the Central Electricity Generating Board from those collieries; and, on the basis that this coal is supplied to a power station sited near the pit head and that generating costs are for the most advanced coal-fired power stations, what estimate he has made of the generating cost per unit from such a coal-fired power station;

(2) on the basis that the average pit head cost per ton of coal of the 107 collieries producing coal between 3d. to 4d. per therm is 79s. 5d., what estimate he has made of the pit head cost per ton of coal suitable for use by the Central Electricity Generating Board from these collieries; and, on the basis that this coal is supplied to a power station sited near the pit head and that generating costs are for the most advanced coal-fired power stations, what estimate he has made of the generating cost per unit from such a coal-fired power station;

(3) on the basis that the average pit head cost per ton of coal from the 81 collieries producing coal between 4d. to 4½d. per therm is 94s. ld., what estimate he has made if the pit head cost per ton of coal suitable for use by the Central Electricity Generating Board from these colleries; and, on the basis that this coal is supplied to a power station sited near the pit head and that generating costs are for the most advanced coal-fired power stations, what estimate he has made of the generating cost per unit from such a coal-fired power station.

Mr. Freeson

The different grades of coal are joint products and the National Coal Board does not make a formal allocation of costs to them. If the average pit head costs of power station coal were 56s. 4d., 79s. 5d., and 94s. 1d. per ton, I am advised by the C.E.G.B. that the estimated base load generation cost per kWh of the most advanced coal-fired power station would be 0.52d., 0.62d. and 0.68d., respectively.