Mr. Alan W. WilliamsTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what determines which power stations provide base load electricity supply within the pool pricing arrangements. [25278]
§ Mr. EggarThe order of priority for calling stations to run is determined by the England and Wales grid code and by the pool rules.
Mr. Alan W. WilliamsTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if purchases from the French interconnector are to provide base load electricity supply; and if prices are discounted on the basis of the guarantee to run continuously. [25285]
§ Mr. EggarThe interconnector was built for mutual system support and to trade electricity when one country could supply it more cheaply than the other. Because of low avoidable generation costs at its nuclear plants, Electricite de France has been able to bid into the pool to supply electricity at prices lower than the marginal cost of indigenous fossil-based supplies. As a consequence of the level of EdF's bids, the interconnector has normally supplied base load electricity from France to England.
Mr. Alan W. WilliamsTo ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what percentage of Britain's electricity is provided by companies other than National Power, PowerGen and the nuclear industry; and if he will list the main contributors; [25270]
(2) what percentage of Britain's electricity supply in 1994 were provided by (a) National Power, (b) PowerGen and (c) advanced gas-cooled reactors. [25271]
§ Mr. EggarIn the United Kingdom in 1994, provisional data show that 62 per cent, of electricity generated was by the former nationalised industries in Britain—National Power, PowerGen, Scottish Power and Hydro-Electric—26 per cent, by Nuclear Electric and Scottish Nuclear, 7 per cent, by new entrants to generation428W and 5 per cent, by other generators, including those generating electricity for their own use. Information about individual generators cannot be provided. Advanced gas-cooled reactors generated 19 per cent, of UK electricity in 1994.
The new entrants to electricity generation are: Barking Power Ltd., Corby Power Ltd., Elm Energy and Recycling Ltd., Fellside Heat and Power Ltd., Fibropower Ltd., Fibrogen Ltd., Keadby Generation Ltd., Lakeland Power Ltd., Peterborough Power Ltd., Regional Power Ltd., South East London Combined Heat and Power Ltd. and Teesside Power Ltd.
Mr. Alan W. WilliamsTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the average price paid by the distribution companies to the generating companies during 1994(a) for base load electricity supply and (b) for electricity supply at peak demand. [25279]
§ Mr. EggarSupply companies, rather than distribution companies, purchase electricity from generating companies. The price paid is dependent upon commercially confidential contracts between the parties.