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Electricity Generating Capacity

Volume 975: debated on Tuesday 4 December 1979

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asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current generating capacity in Scotland; what will be the capacity when Hunterston B resumes production; and what percentages of these represent overcapacity as the day of highest home demand in 1979.

The total nominal output capacity of generating plant in Scotland is 9585 MW, including the 500 MW second reactor at Hunterston B which is at present out of action. Taking account of the margins and allowances necessary for factors such as demand variations due to weather, plant outages and the need to work up new plant for full commercial service, the Scottish electricity boards consider that about 12 per cent. of present capacity is in excess of the minimum requirement. If the second reactor at Hunterston B is excluded from the calculation of current capacity, the excess is about 10 per cent. I understand that on at least one occasion last winter all available generating plant in Scotland was in use to meet demand.

Student population (week beginning 29 October 1979)Student capacity (1) (beginning of 1979–80) SessionNumber of teaching staff (beginning of 1979–80) Session
Aberdeen7581,300127
Callendar Park23940041
Craigie23640047
Craiglockhart27830036
Dundee6591,800104
Dunfermline49350067
Hamilton31275067
Jordanhill2,3182,600294
Moray House1,5942,200209
Notre Dame923900107
Note
(1) Certain of the figures are approximate, pending completion of negotiations for disposal of surplus accommodation and adaptations to existing accommodation.
I shall write to the hon. Member about non-teaching staff.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing a list of Scotland's teacher training colleges, the cost of construction in each case, the date of

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of Scottish electricity generating capacity is generated by nuclear means currently; and what was the percentage when Hunterston B was last in production.

There are four reactors at Hunterston, of which reactor 4 is out of service as a result of the ingress of sea water. I am informed by the South of Scotland Electricity Board that, in the year to 31 March 1979, throughout the whole of which reactor 4 was unavailable, 20·9 per cent. of electricity generated on the Scottish mainland system was from nuclear sources; and that, in the previous year, which included a six-month period during which reactor 4 was being brought into production, the comparable figure was 23·1 per cent.