§ Mr. Edwin Wainwrightasked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the estimated cost of the CEGB's present proposals for the building of coal-fired, oilfired and nuclear power stations, respectively; and what is the policy for the building of new power stations within the next decade.
§ Mr. BennAt present, the only firm proposal by the CEGB for major new generating capacity is to build a 2640 MW Steam Generating Heavy Water Reactor (SGHWR) station at Sizewell. Precise cost estimates for this are difficult to predict in advance of the receipt of tenders and contract negotiations, but the indications are that the capital cost might be of the order of £1,000 million. Design work is continuing and a nuclear site licence will be sought in due course.
The requirement for power stations and hence the precise timing within the 29W next decade must of course be determined and approved by Ministers in the light of electricity demand. The Government believe that future power station policy should have proper regard to the use of our substantial reserves of indigenous fossil fuels, and, on the nuclear side, to progress made with the initial SGHWR programme.