HC Deb 20 October 1992 vol 212 cc275-6W
Mr. Spearing

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are the installed capacities of electricity generating plants in the United Kingdom of the generating and regional companies using gas for steam and gas turbines respectively; and what capacity of the former was initially installed for burning coal.

Mr. Eggar

[holding answer 19 October 1992]: There are at present two combined cycle gas-fired stations in operation in England and Wales:

Organisation Location Estimated capacity (MW)
Lakeland Power Roosecote, Cumbria 235
PowerGen plc Killingholme, South Humberside 450 (1st unit)

One—Roosecote—is on the site of an earlier coal-fired station.

Mr. Spearing

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what instruction, advice or guidance he has given to the main electricity generating undertakings, and regional electricity companies respectively, concerning the short or long-term sources of their fuel supplies, since the privatisation of the electricity production and supply industry.

Mr. Eggar

[holding answer 19 October 1992]: I am not in a position to give instructions to private sector companies. I have made clear to all concerned the importance I attach to seeing contracts put in place as soon as possible which will provide stability to the coal industry over the next few years and bring benefits to electricity customers.

Mr. Spearing

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the number and total installed capacity of power stations converted or built to use gas as a fuel since the abolition of the Central Electricity Generating Board, stating in broad terms the number and capacity installed by each of the new national and regional electricity undertakings, and others respectively, and the range of gas price per gigajoule paid.

Mr. Eggar

[holding answer 19 October 1992]: Gas-fired power stations—above 50MW—in England and Wales, commissioned since 31 March 1990 were:

Organisation Location Estimated capacity (MW)
Lakeland Power Roosecote, Cumbria 235
PowerGen plc Killingholme, South Humberside 450 (1st unit)

Gas prices are a commercial matter for the companies concerned.

Mr. Spearing

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the total capacity of those coal-fired power stations due to be closed by the main generating undertakings, consequent to their planned reductions in coal burn for 1993, giving the capital cost per megawatt, and fuel cost per gigajoule respectively, for the most efficient coal and gas-fired power stations now available for construction at current gas and United Kingdom produced coal prices respectively.

Mr. Eggar

[holding answer 19 October 1992]: These are commercial matters for the generating companies.