§ Mr. Bradfordasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of Northern Ireland's present electricity supply is generated in and imported from the Republic of Ireland.
§ Mr. OrmeThe interconnector is used by the Northern Ireland Electricity Service and the Electricity Supply Board in the Irish Republic to provide additional standby capacity against power failure and to trade in electricity when it is to their mutual economic advantage to do so. There is, therefore, no constant supply, one way or the other; but in the quarter ending June 1975 about 1 per cent. of Northern Ireland's electricity was imported from the Republic, and about 4 per cent. of the electricity generated in Northern Ireland was exported to the Republic.
§ Mr. Bradfordasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the future policy of the Government in respect of the level of electricity supply generated in Northern Ireland, in the light of the reduction in coal supplies to Belfast East and West power stations.
§ Mr. OrmeThe reduction in the amount of coal delivered to Belfast East and West power stations during the quarter ending 30th June, compared with the previous quarter, was a normal consequence of moving out of the winter period and of various other factors which reduced the demand for electricity. The reduction in the supply of coal does not reflect any change in policy.
The Northern Ireland Department of Commerce has been working closely with the Northern Ireland electricity service on a reassessment of likely demand in the light of recent price increases and trends in the economy, and is currently assuming a somewhat reduced long-term growth rate of about 6 per cent. per annum.