HC Deb 13 January 1975 vol 884 cc16-7W
Mr. Penhaligon

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the total energy in British thermal units lost in the electricity generation process due to various cooling systems.

Mr. Eadie

The amount of heat which had to be rejected to the cooling water for the whole of the electricity generation system in England and Wales in 1973–74 was approximately 1,300 million million British thermal units.

Mr. Penhaligon

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the percentages of the total United Kingdom energy consumption of each primary fuel used in the generation of electricity for each year since 1965; and what is the estimate for 1974 and 1975.

Mr. Varley

The percentages of total United Kingdom inland fuel consumption of coal, petroleum and natural gas used by power stations of the public supply—including transport undertakings—for the years 1965–73 and for January-October 1974 are as follows:

Coal Petroleum Natural gas
1965 37.9 10.4
1966 39.3 11.1
1967 41.0 10.6
1968 44.5 8.7
1969 47.1 10.4 1.1
1970 49.2 14.5 1.1
1971 51.7 16.6 3.5
1972 54.3 20.0 6.2
1973 57.6 17.8 2.5
1974 (January to October) 56.8 18.5 8.0
Because of the uncertainties about the supply, I am unable to estimate future consumption in these precise terms.