§ Mr. Douglas-Mannasked the Secretary of State for Energy what are his Department's estimates, for 1990 or the nearest convenient date, of the total electrical generating capacity of the United Kingdom, the proportion of that capacity depending on oil, coal, nuclear and other sources of energy and the total level of electricity consumption; and by what percentage in each case these figures would constitute an increase over the current situation.
§ Mr. EadieBecause of the uncertainties surrounding such estimates forecasts of the levels of total electrical generating capacity or of the levels of total electricity consumption are not published. Forecasts of total primary energy consumption in 1990 were given in the Department's evidence to the Select Committee on Science and Technology, Energy Resources Sub-Committee, and were published by it in Minutes of Evidence (155-vii). The forecasts, which covered a range of consumptions, implied power generation shares in 1990 based on primary fuel inputs as follows:
450W
… Per cent. Coal … 15–49 Oil … 17–49 Nuclear and hydro … 35–44 Natural gas … 0–1 Information about current plant capacity and electricity generation and consumption are given in the Department's Statistical Bulletin, Energy Trends.