§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the price paid per useful therm for coal and heavy oil burnt in power stations each year since 1973.
§ Mr. John MooreThe following table sets out the cost in pence per therm—based on gross calorific values—of coal and oil burnt in power stations each year since 1973:
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Average cost of fuel burnt in power stations—Great Britain Pence/therm Coal Oil for burning 1973 2.9 2.8 1974 4.1 6.7 1975 6.2 8.9 1976 7.4 10.2 1977 8.8 12.6 1978 9.8 12.2 1979 11.3 13.9 1980 14.1 21.1 1981 16.1 26.6 1982 17.3 26.5 Separate national figures for the thermal efficiencies of coal and oil-fired power stations are not available over this period. The average thermal efficiencies for all steam stations—excluding nuclear—are as follows:
Percentage 1973 29.9 1974 30.3 1975 31.3 1976 31.7 1977 31.5 1978 32.0 1979 31.8 1980 32.1 1981 32.0 1982 32.6 Using those single measures of efficiency the following table, indicative of fuel costs in terms of pence per "useful" therm, may be derived:
Approximate average cost of fuel burnt in power stations— Great Britain(pence per "useful" therm) Coal Oil for burning 1973 9.7 9.3 1974 13.5 22.2 1975 19.9 28.4 1976 23.4 32.1 1977 27.9 40.1 1978 30.7 38.1 1979 35.5 43.8 1980 43.9 65.8 1981 50.4 83.0 1982 53.2 81.2 It should be borne in mind that thermal efficiencies, and as a result generation costs, vary significantly from station to station.