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Nuclear Power

Mr. Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the total installed capacity of nuclear generators in the UK in each year since 1990. [12792]

Mr. Wilson [holding answer 7 November 2001]: The information requested is as follows:

	Capacity of nuclear stations in the UK in DNC(8) terms
	MW
End March 1990	11,083
End March 1991	11,353
End March 1992	11,353
End March 1993	11,353
End March 1994	11,894
End March 1995	12,037
End March 1996	12,762
End December 1996(9)	12,916
End December 1997	12,946
End December 1998	12,956
End December 1999	12,956
End December 2000	12,486

⁽⁸⁾ Declared net capability

⁽⁹⁾ In 1996 a change was made to measure capacity at the end of the calendar year rather than at the end of March

Source:

Digest of UK Energy Statistics 2001 Table 5.7 and corresponding table for earlier years

NETA

Mr. Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent meetings she has had with the Regulator to discuss the impact of New electricity trading arrangements on (a) the Combined heat and power sector and (b) the renewable sources of energy sector; and if she will make a statement. [12661]

Mr. Wilson: I have had numerous meetings with the Regulator to discuss the impact of NETA on CHP and renewables, most recently on 25 September 2001. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry will be meeting the Regulator on Thursday 15 November 2001 to discuss this subject, among other matters.

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Mr. Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received from the British Wind Energy Association regarding the impact of NETA on trading in renewable energy; and if she will make a statement. [12660]

Mr. Wilson: My Department received representations from the British Wind Energy Association regarding the impact of NETA on trading in renewable energy as part of BWEA's response to the DTI Preliminary Consultation on the Renewables Obligation of October 2000. In addition, my Department has had numerous representations from industry on this issue, including the renewables and wind sectors, for example the Confederation of Renewable Energy Associations.

On 1 November, I issued a consultation document in response to Ofgem's reports 'The New Electricity Trading Arrangements—Review of the First Three Months' and 'Report to the DTI on the Review of the Initial Impact of NETA on Smaller Generators' of 31 August 2001. I welcome views and representations from all industry bodies. I hope that the British Wind Energy Association will take this opportunity to respond to our consultation. The consultation document can be accessed at www.dti.gov.uk/consultations/.

Mr. Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received from the (a) Combined Heat and Power Association, (b) British Association for Biofuels and Oils, (c) British Photovoltanic Association, (d) British Hydropower Association and (e) Solar Trade Association Limited regarding the impact of NETA; and if she will make a statement. [12673]

Mr. Wilson: I have received numerous representations from the Combined Heat and Power Association on the impact of NETA, most recently at a meeting on 20 September 2001.

I have received no representations from the British Association for Biofuels and Oils, the British Photovoltanic Association, the British Hydropower Association, or the Solar Trade Association Limited.

I have, however, had numerous representations from industry bodies regarding the impact of NETA.

On 1 November, I issued a consultation document in response to Ofgem's reports 'The New Electricity Trading Arrangements—Review of the First Three Months' and 'Report to the DTI on the Review of the Initial Impact of NETA on Smaller Generators' of 31 August 2001. I welcome views and representations from all industry bodies. I hope that the above associations will take the opportunity to respond to our consultation. The consultation document can be accessed at www.dti.gov.uk/ consultations/.

Mr. Gareth R. Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will take steps to encourage companies to provide a consolidation service within NETA for small generators; and if she will make a statement. [12732]

Mr. Wilson: On 1 November 2001, I issued a consultation document in response to Ofgem's reports "The New Electricity Trading Arrangements—Review of the First Three Months" and "Report to the DTI on the Review of the Initial Impact of NETA on Smaller Generators" of 31 August 2001.

13 Nov 2001 : Column: 659W

The Government recognise the issues faced by smaller generators under NETA. The Government's key proposals are, broadly:

To ensure imbalance prices are genuinely cost reflective; and

To ensure that effective consolidation services emerge.

The Government are also inviting views on other proposals put forward by industry.

The Government believe consolidation services are vital in order to establish and foster smaller generation plant. While consolidation services are now starting to emerge in the market, the Government have proposed establishing a working group of smaller generators, the National Grid Company, BSC (Balancing and Settlement Code) participants, Ofgem, the DTI and DEFRA to look urgently at possible structural or regulatory obstacles to consolidation, including the likely time scale on which competitive consolidation services will emerge. The Government will ask this group to provide an interim report by 24 December 2001, and a final report by 31 January 2001.

The consultation document can be accessed at www.dti.gov.uk/consultations/.

Departmental Projects

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the projects in her Department which have been considered as potential public-private partnerships since 1997 which have not been undertaken because the public sector comparator had a lower net present value than the public-private partnership proposed; and if she will make a statement. [13431]

Ms Hewitt: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary. In respect of my Department, there have been no potential PPP projects that have not been undertaken because the public sector comparator had a lower net present value than the PPP proposed since 1997.

Embedded Generators

Mr. Gareth R. Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will take steps to introduce electricity Distribution Charging Arrangements which (a) reduce the capital cost of connecting new embedded generators to the distribution network and (b) encourage lower network losses and reduced costs of network investments relating to embedded generators. [12734]

Mr. Wilson: Distribution Charging Arrangements are a matter for Ofgem.

Ofgem's recent consultation paper "Embedded generation: price controls, incentives and connection charging—a preliminary consultation document" considers whether there might be an alternative to the payment of "deep" connection charges up-front. This paper is specifically aimed at moving without delay to a workable interim solution, under the existing pricing control and possibly from 1 April 2002. Ofgem have asked for responses to the consultation by 16 November, and I understand it is their intention to produce a summary of responses before the end of the year.

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Embedded generation offers the prospect of a significant reduction in network losses, but more work is needed to understand the best way to achieve this goal. The distribution price control already contains incentives for distribution network operators (DNOs) to reduce network losses, but work on embedded generation presents new opportunities for achieving significant reductions.

An Embedded Generation Coordinating Group (EGCG) is currently being established to ensure that these issues and the wider recommendations outlined in the Report of the Embedded Generation Working Group into Network Access Issues are addressed in a timely and co-ordinated manner. An announcement about the EGCG will be made shortly.

BCCI

Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she next plans to meet the liquidators of BCCI. [13638]

Miss Melanie Johnson: No such meeting is planned. The liquidators report formally to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry each year pursuant to the provisions of the Insolvency Regulations. Copies of that report are made available to creditors.

Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she will call a meeting of the creditors of BCCI. [13640]

Miss Melanie Johnson: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has no power to call meetings of creditors in companies in liquidation. Meetings may be called by the liquidator or may be requisitioned by creditors in accordance with the Insolvency Rules.

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