Follow-up Questions
RECOMMENDATION (COAL)
17 AND (ENERGY
POLICY) 32: OPENCAST
COAL
It would be helpful to have a note updating the
position on opencast coal, as referred to at para 11.30 and 12.69
of Cm 4071, and taking into account the reviews conducted by the
devolved administration
The Department of the Environment, Transport
and the Regions issued in March 1999, after consultation, a revised
Minerals Planning Guidance Note 3 (MPG3) for England.
Also in March 1999, the Scottish Executive issued
National Planning Policy Guidance Note 16 (NPPG16), Opencast Coal
and Related Minerals for Scotland. This replaced NPPG 4 (Land
for Mineral Working) as the relevant guidance for opencast coal
and related minerals such as clays for brick making.
Following the publication in December 1999 of
the Government-sponsored Newcastle University Research Report,
"Do particulates from opencast coal impair children's respiratory
health?", and the endorsement of the report's recommendations
by the Committee on Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP),
DETR issued interim guidance to mineral planning authorities and
the coal industry, stating that the Department intend to incorporate
detailed guidance on this matter in the forthcoming revision of
Minerals Planning Guidance Note 11 (MPG11). The Scottish Executive
also carried out a consultation exercise in July 2000, with a
view to amending both NPPG4 and NPPG16 to take account of the
assessment framework recommended by the Newcastle research. It
is anticipated that both the revised MPG11 and the amended Scottish
guidance will be issued within the first quarter of 2001.
The National Assembly for Wales is aiming to
publish a Minerals Planning Guidance Note for Wales, covering
all minerals, by the end of 2000. Also by the end of 2000, they
plan to issue for consultation a draft Technical Advice Note (TAN)
covering coal, with a view to publication of the final TAN for
coal later in 2001.
RECOMMENDATION (COAL)
26: INVESTMENT BY
GENERATORS IN
FGD
A factual note on the outcome of the policy expressed
at para 9.45 of Cm 4071 and referred to at para 11.35, that major
coal-fired generators should have and use one FGD-equipped plant,
would be of assistance
On 17 December 1999 the Environment Agency issued
a Decision Document setting out the principles under which it
would issue authorisations for power station sulphur emissions
until 2005. The authorisations comprise limits on the overall
emissions of companies with coal or oil plant ("B limits")
and limits on the emissions of individual stations ("A limits").
The sum of the A limits for an individual company's stations is
greater than that company's B limit. There is a flexibility provision
for generators which have FGD-abated plant in their fleet, and
which run that plant at higher load factors than its unabated
plant—in a ratio of 2:1, provided local emissions limits
(A limits) are met and coal of sufficient quality (low sulphur
content) is used. The provision, which is also available to generators
in the process of fitting FGD abatement, permits qualifying generators
to exceed their overall B limit in preset proportions, in order
to win market share. TXU have now started work on fitting FGD
to the whole of their 2 GW station at West Burton, and it is anticipated
this work will be complete by autumn 2003. Edison Mission Energy
and British Energy are considering whether to retrofit FGD to
their stations at Fiddlers Ferry, Ferrybridge C and Eggborough
and are in discussion with the EA about their plans. It is not
expected that the FGD will be fitted to all units at these stations.
RECOMMENDATION (ENERGY)
38: ENERGY ADVISORY
PANEL
The outcome of the Energy Advisory Panel studies
referred to at para 12.14 would be helpful
The Energy Advisory Panel's report on its work
in the year 1998-99, published in the 1999 Energy Report, included
a paper on The Role of "Diversity" in Security of supply
in Electricity. This embraced a wider range of issues than the
catastrophic failure of infrastructure, which had been the Committee's
main concern; and the Panel concluded that more work needed to
be done on a full audit of the system security of the electricity
and gas systems in terms of their ability to respond rapidly to
unexpected and potentially serious events (albeit events of low
probability). The Panel's work in 1999-2000 will be reported in
the Energy Report 2000 (to be published in November): the last
year has seen a shift of emphasis in the Panel's modus operandi
towards detailed analysis of, and discussion with officials of,
particular proposals or policy developments, rather than submitting
formal policy papers to Ministers. Part of this work has included
further work and discussion on system security: a Panel subgroup
has carried out a preliminary analysis of the main arrangements
for system security, and will be advising the DTI on taking this
work forward in consultation with Ofgem. It will also take into
account the work carried out by the Steering Group established
by the Government following the recommendations of the consultants
Merz and McLellan on system security which were summarised in
the 1998 White Paper Conclusions of the Review of Energy Sources
for Power Generation (Cm 4071).
RECOMMENDATION (ENERGY)
30: OFFSHORE DECOMMISSIONING
It would be helpful to have an update on development
of policy on decommissioning of offshore installations, as referred
to at para 12.66
Since responding to the Trade and Industry Committee's
fourth and fifth Reports, the Government has published Guidance
Notes for Industry on the Decommissioning of Offshore Installations
and Pipelines under the Petroleum Act 1998. The Guidance Notes,
the first to be issued by an OSPAR Contracting Party, confirm
the Government's approach to decommissioning and to managing the
decommissioning of offshore installations in an environmentally
responsible manner. The Guidance Notes, which are consistent with
the UK's international obligations, reflect the terms of OSPAR
Decision 98/3 adopted by OSPAR Ministers in July 1998. They provide
a clear and comprehensive guide to the decommissioning process
and will assist those engaged in developing and submitting decommissioning
proposals for the Government's approval. First issued as a Consultative
Document in 1999, the Guidance Notes were published in final form
on 21 August 2000.
At the heart of the Guidance Notes is the presumption
that the great majority of oil and gas installations will be completely
removed for re-use, recycling or final disposal on land. In line
with Decision 98/3, the Guidance Notes recognise that the re-use
of an installation is first in the order of preferred decommissioning
options. The Government is keen to encourage the re-use of facilities
wherever this is practicable and will expect Operators to demonstrate
that they have investigated re-use opportunities fully at the
decommissioning stage. Recent changes in the tax allowances applicable
to decommissioning costs will also make re-use more attractive.
Some offshore installations located on the UKCS
have significant volumes of drill cuttings deposited on the seabed
beneath them. The particular difficulties associated with drill
cuttings at the decommissioning stage have been recognised for
some time. In response to this concern the UK Offshore Operators
Association (UKOOA) is currently co-ordinating a Joint Industry
Project, of which the DTI is a member, involving an in-depth study
of the issues involved and how best to deal with them. The results
will be reported to OSPAR and taken into account in considering
decommissioning proposals.
RECOMMENDATION (ENERGY)
42: PUBLICATION: CIVIL
NUCLEAR LIABILITIES
It would be helpful to have a note on the implementation
of the proposal in para 12.88 on publication of the details of
UK civil nuclear liabilities
The Energy Report 2000, which was published
on 15 November, contained information about UK civil nuclear liabilities
in the public and private sectors.
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