HC Deb 01 July 1991 vol 194 c38W
Mr. Barron

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the cash value of the non-fossil fuel obligation in the year to date in terms of the additional payment to Nuclear Electric for the cost of generation and the remainder of the non-fossil fuel obligation.

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

Details of premium payments made by the regional electricity companies to specific generators contracted within the non-fossil fuel obligation—NFFO—are commercially confidential. However, the Director General of Electricity Supply has announced that in 1990–91 receipts from the fossil fuel levy, available for financing NFFO qualifying arrangements, amounted to £1,175 million.

Mr. Barron

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what are the total megawatt capacity of bids for entrance in the second tranche of the non-fossil fuel obligation; and how these are split between the categories of renewable energies that he is considering.

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

I regret that I am unable to give the information requested, because to do so might prejudice the operation of the competitive tendering procedure that has been adopted by the Non-Fossil Purchasing Agency Ltd. for selecting the projects to be contracted under the proposed Renewables Order 1991.

Mr. Morgan

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has any proposals for disaggregating the nuclear from the non-nuclear segments of the non-fossil fuel obligation; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

For practical reasons, and to reflect the Government's policy of introducing additional tranches of renewables capacity during the 1990s, the non-fossil fuel obligations in respect of nuclear and renewables have been made under separate orders. However, my right hon. Friend has no plans to introduce separate levies for nuclear and renewables, which would be cumbersome and inefficient.

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