HC Deb 22 October 1990 vol 178 cc14-5W
Mr. Dobson

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his Department's estimate of the likely system maximum demand for electricity in 2000.

Mr. Wakeham

The level of system maximum demand is highly uncertain and will depend on, among other things, the rate of economic growth, relative fuel prices and the relationship between generation and system maximum demand. Two possible scenarios of future electricity generation in 2005 and 2020 were published in "Energy Paper No. 58", a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

Mr. Dobson

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the net amount of electricity imported from France in 1989; what proportion this represented of electricity consumed; and what are his Department's estimates of the equivalent figures for 1995 and 2000, respectively.

Mr. Wakeham

In 1989 net imports of electricity from France amounted to 12.6 terawatt hours, representing 4 per cent. of total electricity available from public supply and industrial producers.

Future import levels are uncertain and will depend largely on decisions taken by the market.

Mr. Dobson

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what proportion of electricity is generated from coal, gas, nuclear and renewables, respectively, now; and what is his Department's estimate of the likely proportions in 1995 and 2000, respectively.

Mr. Wakeham

The proportions of fuel used to generate electricity in 1989 are as follows:

Fuel used in electricity generation Per cent. share
Coal 69
Nuclear 21
Oil2 8
Renewables3 2

The amount of gas used to generate electricity accounts for less than 0.1 per cent. of the total. Future proportions of fuel used are uncertain and will depend largely on decisions taken by the market. Two possible scenarios for 2005 were published in "Energy Paper No. 58"—table 4.10—a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  1. 1. Information published in Energy Trends, Table 16. Coverage is for the generating companies formerly comprising the public electricity supply system: National Power, PowerGen, Nuclear Electric, National Grid Company, Scottish Power, Scottish Hydro, Scottish Nuclear, Northern Ireland Electricity Service, Midlands Electricity and South Western Electricity.
  2. 2. Including oil used in gas turbines and diesel plant or for lighting up coal fired boilers, and Orimulsion.
  3. 3. Mainly natural flow hydro.

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