§ Dr. LadymanTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on current station lifetime plans, what her Department's projections are for the percentage contribution nuclear power will make to electricity generation in(a) 2005, (b) 2010, (c) 2015 and (d) 2020. [17369]
§ Mr. WilsonThe DTI published, in Energy Paper 68 (EP68), energy demand projections for the period 2000 to 2020 in November 2000. Figures in Annex D of EP68 785W show the projected amounts of electricity generation for a range of generating plant. Generation from nuclear plants is projected to be 86TWh in 2005, 66TWh in 2010, 40TWh in 2015 and 27TWh in 2020. These levels of nuclear generation represent approximately 24 per cent., 17 per cent., 10 per cent. and 7 per cent. of the total projected generation by the major power producers respectively.
Plant lifetimes are a matter for the operators but the projections were based on lifetime assumptions believed to be in broad agreement with those of the nuclear generators at the time of publication. There have been some recent indications from the industry that nuclear output in 2010 may be a little lower than previously projected. Small reductions in output would not endanger the UK's ability to meet its Kyoto targets.
Energy Paper 68 is available in the Libraries of the House.