§ Mr. Rostasked the Secretary of State for Energy what will be the estimated volume of heat rejected annually from the proposed Drax B power station if this heat is not utilised; and how many 654W domestic consumers would benefit if this heat could be applied for district heating schemes.
§ Mr. EadieI am advised by the CEGB that the annual heat rejection to the cooling water from Drax B will be equivalent to the heat in about 2½ million tonnes of coal—65 million GJ. If the station were to be modified after its construction to provide higher grade heat for district heating purposes, it might be possible to supply the heat demand of about 50,000 homes, assuming they were within a convenient distance. The economics of any such scheme would need to be carefully studied.
§ Mr. Rostasked the Secretary of State for Energy what studies he or the Central Electricity Generating Board have undertaken to assess the feasibility of utilising the residual heat that will be produced from the proposed Drax B power station.
§ Mr. EadieThe Combined Heat and Power Group is studying the possible heat load in Leeds as part of the follow-up to Energy Paper No. 20. I am advised by the CEGB that it would be technically feasible to modify Drax B for heat extraction if an appropriate heat load were available in the vicinity. The CEGB would be pleased to receive technical proposals for schemes for the provision of a suitable heat load at Drax.