We are renewing Trident and then giving away 7% of our electricity generation to the Chinese.
I'm not sure a Labour supporter should be lecturing anyone when it comes to power generation.
I'm not even against nuclear power in principle, but the strike price for the leccy produced there is ludicrously high. The chinese are laughing all the way to the bank on this one.
On topic, can't believe Corbyn missed the chance to open with the line "This week, I begin with a question from Heidi in South Cambridgeshire..."
Open goal, didn't even attempt the shot.
But the bigger story is surely his tie which had the label facing to the front. Now that's a donkey jacket moment! His people must be cringeing!
Why is attire more important that what he was saying ?
Do you think that a man who cannot work out that his tie is on back-to-front is suitable to run this country?
Putting your dick inside a pig is OK though !
But that allegation is not true - the world has just seen with its own eyes that the LOTO and the man purportedly putting himself forward as Chief Executive of UK PLC can't even dress himself.
Happen as well he wouldn't press the button....
You really think an effete posho like Dave would have the courage to press the button?
For the sake of balance, the Speccie has a good article on why the Sino-British deal is good for both sides, despite the universal condemnation in the commentariat.
The tories can do nothing right it seems. For everybody but the electorate.
I'm being slow - is the point here that Meacher's personal vote might have been important to Labour's success or that Labour do well here whoever the leader is an whether they're in power or not?
For the sake of balance, the Speccie has a good article on why the Sino-British deal is good for both sides, despite the universal condemnation in the commentariat.
The tories can do nothing right it seems. For everybody but the electorate.
Fraser Nelson sneering and everything Cameron does - he's trying to be a one man opposition to fill a gap. Just making himself look more foolish however.
We are renewing Trident and then giving away 7% of our electricity generation to the Chinese.
They're not exactly giving it away, the Chinese pay for the power station and it's not like they get to take it home with them if they fall out with the British.
Hinkley Point B (HPB) is a major reason why we are facing (theoretical) energy shortages.
We have made guarantees for the electricity supplied by HPB that are more generous than those that we offer wind producers. (Unlike with wind, the price of electricity supplied by HPB has an inflation price escalator.)
If you are considering building a CCGT in the UK, you are factoring in the fact that total demand for electricity is likely to drop 7% when HPB comes on stream. This means the price of all none-HPB energy is going to be less. (Effectively, the demand curve is moving to the left because of HPB, as HPB energy is guaranteed to be bought before electricity from your shiny new CCGT.)
The building of HPB, which requires subsidy and will increase power prices in the UK, also discourages investment in safe, cheap, flexible and low emitting gas fired power stations.
We are renewing Trident and then giving away 7% of our electricity generation to the Chinese.
Once it is built they are not going to be able to tow it back to China if we fall out with them...
Regarding the strike price, yes it is high although who knows what energy prices will be in 20 years time. Basically its a form of insurance to guard against the worst of any price spikes and since this plant will run for 60+ years, we should still be able to get plenty of cheap energy.
Do you have any figures for the loss of generation thanks to HMG's various Green initiatives since 1997?
Silly question, loss of generation caused by nuclear and other power stations being de-commissioned. A Green initiative such as subsidising insulation or the feed in tariff would be difficult to argue with, wouldn't it?
Some anti-nuclear idiot on DP saying that renewables are the way to go, as the wind always blows in the UK, and the sun always shines above the clouds.
The tides do always come in and out though - I'm quite taken with the tidal lagoon idea (provided sea life can be reasonably protected). One thing we're not short of is coastline. What are your thoughts?
We are renewing Trident and then giving away 7% of our electricity generation to the Chinese.
I'm not sure a Labour supporter should be lecturing anyone when it comes to power generation.
I'm not even against nuclear power in principle, but the strike price for the leccy produced there is ludicrously high. The chinese are laughing all the way to the bank on this one.
What price will gas be at in 2020 or 2025?
IAAFAIIPTGFBAE (*), but Hinkley's strike price is £92.50, or slightly less if they build Sizewell C as well. The current wholesale electricity price is £44.
''Fraser Nelson sneering and everything Cameron does - he's trying to be a one man opposition to fill a gap. Just making himself look more foolish however.''
There's a whole posse of them. Nelson, Dale, D'Ancona, Martin, Montgomerie, Massie, Wallace. It just goes on and on.
Do you have any figures for the loss of generation thanks to HMG's various Green initiatives since 1997?
Silly question, loss of generation caused by nuclear and other power stations being de-commissioned. A Green initiative such as subsidising insulation or the feed in tariff would be difficult to argue with, wouldn't it?
Loss of generation - closure of coal fired plants etc
We are renewing Trident and then giving away 7% of our electricity generation to the Chinese.
I'm not sure a Labour supporter should be lecturing anyone when it comes to power generation.
I'm not even against nuclear power in principle, but the strike price for the leccy produced there is ludicrously high. The chinese are laughing all the way to the bank on this one.
What price will gas be at in 2020 or 2025?
IAAFAIIPTGFBAE (*), but Hinkley's strike price is £92.50, or slightly less if they build Sizewell C as well. The current wholesale electricity price is £44.
I daresay the excellent Mr 1000 will put me right where I am wrong...
(*) I Am About As Far As It Is Possible To Get From Being AN Expert
The prices for HPB are worse because they contain an inflation escalator, while the wind ones are fixed for 20 years.
We need to build new CCGTs. We do not need HPB. By subsidising HPB we discourage investment in CCGTs.
The amount of natural gas coming on stream over the next two decades is absolutely staggering. Australia has two of the worlds largest LNG projects starting up in the next two years: Gorgon and Wheatstone. Furthermore, there is a huge amount of prospectivity around the rest of Australia. Mozambique is home to perhaps the greatest gas reserves in the world. In the US, Cabot estimates that Marcellus gas is profitable at $0.75/mmcf. (That's one tenth of the current LNG price.) New LNG facilities are being built in the US. Floating liquification vessels mean we can start exploiting stranded gas reserves around the world.
Gas is clean. Gas is available. Gas is cheap. Gas is reliable. Gas works at £44/MW. (Not £95/MW like nuclear.)
@JosiasJessop Since energy costs have a material impact on inflation, any increase in the price of gas will probably have a knock on impact onto the £92.50 strike price as it is index linked.
Some anti-nuclear idiot on DP saying that renewables are the way to go, as the wind always blows in the UK, and the sun always shines above the clouds.
The tides do always come in and out though - I'm quite taken with the tidal lagoon idea (provided sea life can be reasonably protected). One thing we're not short of is coastline. What are your thoughts?
IANAE, but the number of sites are limited, especially for large-scale generation, and the costs are large.
As someone who loves Big Engineering (tm), I've a soft spot for a Severn Barrage, but it looks as though it won't happen.
As an aside, I'm aware that pump-storage is a good means of 'storing' intermittent renewable energy. But unfortunately despite our mountainous terrain, the number of potential sites where pump-storage can be used to any scale are few. I wonder if it is possible to combine tidal lagoons and pump-storage? Or is that just a stupid idea?
@politicshome: DCI Settle on Tom Watson letter: "It confused matters considerably… distracted us, it shook confidence within the team.. and undermined us"
Gas is clean. Gas is available. Gas is cheap. Gas is reliable. Gas works at £44/MW. (Not £95/MW like nuclear.)
The point is, ladies and gentlemen, that Gas, for lack of a better word, is good. Gas is right, Gas works. Gas clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Gas, in all of its forms; Gas for life, for money, for love, knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind. And Gas, you mark my words, will not only save the Energy Sector, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the UK. Thank you very much.
@politicshome: DCI Settle on Tom Watson letter: "It confused matters considerably… distracted us, it shook confidence within the team.. and undermined us"
Settle "I think the interview under PACE was unlawful" before it got to this stage "It would be a baseless witchhunt" stated in case notes.
Not difficult for an interview to be potentially unlawful under PACE, normally it wouldn't have an impact on the admissability of evidence so obtained. That would be admissabilty at trial of course.
We are renewing Trident and then giving away 7% of our electricity generation to the Chinese.
I'm not sure a Labour supporter should be lecturing anyone when it comes to power generation.
I'm not even against nuclear power in principle, but the strike price for the leccy produced there is ludicrously high. The chinese are laughing all the way to the bank on this one.
What price will gas be at in 2020 or 2025?
IAAFAIIPTGFBAE (*), but Hinkley's strike price is £92.50, or slightly less if they build Sizewell C as well. The current wholesale electricity price is £44.
I daresay the excellent Mr 1000 will put me right where I am wrong...
(*) I Am About As Far As It Is Possible To Get From Being AN Expert
The prices for HPB are worse because they contain an inflation escalator, while the wind ones are fixed for 20 years.
We need to build new CCGTs. We do not need HPB. By subsidising HPB we discourage investment in CCGTs.
The amount of natural gas coming on stream over the next two decades is absolutely staggering. Australia has two of the worlds largest LNG projects starting up in the next two years: Gorgon and Wheatstone. Furthermore, there is a huge amount of prospectivity around the rest of Australia. Mozambique is home to perhaps the greatest gas reserves in the world. In the US, Cabot estimates that Marcellus gas is profitable at $0.75/mmcf. (That's one tenth of the current LNG price.) New LNG facilities are being built in the US. Floating liquification vessels mean we can start exploiting stranded gas reserves around the world.
Gas is clean. Gas is available. Gas is cheap. Gas is reliable. Gas works at £44/MW. (Not £95/MW like nuclear.)
Ah, thanks (esp. regarding the price escalator)
I agree CCGT's are the way to go for the bulk of our energy, and we need to get building. But if we are diversifying energy, as all parties seem to want, then nuclear seems a good thing to put into the mix. I prefer it to yet more, very expensive, onshore wind.
"Profile: Oldham is a former centre for the textile industry, a town of red brick mills and dense terraced housing. There is a large Asian and Muslim population here and a history of racial tension which culminated in the Oldham riots in 2001, which later reports blamed upon self-segregation between the communities. As well as the western part of Oldham itself the constituency includes the towns of Chadderton and Royton to the west and north-west. These too are former textile towns, though both have seen substantial modern housing development. Major employers include 3M, Park Cake Bakeries, the Stationary Office and Trinity Mirrors printworks.
Politics: Generally speaking Oldham West is a safe Labour seat. It has been held by the veteran left-winger Michael Meacher since 1970, though before that it was briefly represented by the Conservatives after a 1968 by-election win. The seat received brief notoriety at the 2001 general election when, in the immediate aftermath of the Oldham riots it was contested by Nick Griffin of the BNP. Griffin finished third, ahead of the Liberal Democrats and only five hundred votes behind the Conservatives. Fearful of further inflaming local tensions the returning officer banned speeches at the declaration and Griffin infamously appeared at the declartion wearing a gag in protest."
They've been voting for a left wing labour candidate for 30 odd years, don't see why it should change now Corbo is in charge... Big Asian and Muslim area, split UKIP and Tory vote...
They've been voting for a left wing labour candidate for 30 odd years, don't see why it should change now Corbo is in charge... Big Asian and Muslim area, split UKIP and Tory vote...
Surely a walkover for lab? 1/50?
If it's anything better than 1/10 I'll wack a few quid on (once we know the date).
Gas is clean. Gas is available. Gas is cheap. Gas is reliable. Gas works at £44/MW. (Not £95/MW like nuclear.)
The point is, ladies and gentlemen, that Gas, for lack of a better word, is good. Gas is right, Gas works. Gas clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Gas, in all of its forms; Gas for life, for money, for love, knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind. And Gas, you mark my words, will not only save the Energy Sector, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the UK. Thank you very much.
As an aside, buying a couple of cheap open cycle gas turbines, and connecting them up to the grid to benefit from any spike in prices mightn't be a bad idea...
I'm being slow - is the point here that Meacher's personal vote might have been important to Labour's success or that Labour do well here whoever the leader is an whether they're in power or not?
More that Brown and Foot have been the two most disastrous Labour leaders in the last 40 years, so Corbyn's benchmark has to be to do much better than that.
There is virtually no LD/Green vote to squeeze from May, and Tory/UKIP was 40% or so.
Labour will win, but the margin is more important.
They got nearly 59% with Blair in 1997, 54% with Miliband.
They've been voting for a left wing labour candidate for 30 odd years, don't see why it should change now Corbo is in charge... Big Asian and Muslim area, split UKIP and Tory vote...
Surely a walkover for lab? 1/50?
The Labour price at the Bradford West by election of 2012 would have been something like that.
Gas is clean. Gas is available. Gas is cheap. Gas is reliable. Gas works at £44/MW. (Not £95/MW like nuclear.)
The point is, ladies and gentlemen, that Gas, for lack of a better word, is good. Gas is right, Gas works. Gas clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Gas, in all of its forms; Gas for life, for money, for love, knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind. And Gas, you mark my words, will not only save the Energy Sector, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the UK. Thank you very much.
As an aside, buying a couple of cheap open cycle gas turbines, and connecting them up to the grid to benefit from any spike in prices mightn't be a bad idea...
Gas is clean. Gas is available. Gas is cheap. Gas is reliable. Gas works at £44/MW. (Not £95/MW like nuclear.)
The point is, ladies and gentlemen, that Gas, for lack of a better word, is good. Gas is right, Gas works. Gas clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Gas, in all of its forms; Gas for life, for money, for love, knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind. And Gas, you mark my words, will not only save the Energy Sector, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the UK. Thank you very much.
As an aside, buying a couple of cheap open cycle gas turbines, and connecting them up to the grid to benefit from any spike in prices mightn't be a bad idea...
Gas is clean. Gas is available. Gas is cheap. Gas is reliable. Gas works at £44/MW. (Not £95/MW like nuclear.)
The point is, ladies and gentlemen, that Gas, for lack of a better word, is good. Gas is right, Gas works. Gas clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Gas, in all of its forms; Gas for life, for money, for love, knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind. And Gas, you mark my words, will not only save the Energy Sector, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the UK. Thank you very much.
As an aside, buying a couple of cheap open cycle gas turbines, and connecting them up to the grid to benefit from any spike in prices mightn't be a bad idea...
Do you have any figures on how much we are spending on CCGT plants that are being placed in reserve?
Some anti-nuclear idiot on DP saying that renewables are the way to go, as the wind always blows in the UK, and the sun always shines above the clouds.
The tides do always come in and out though - I'm quite taken with the tidal lagoon idea (provided sea life can be reasonably protected). One thing we're not short of is coastline. What are your thoughts?
IANAE, but the number of sites are limited, especially for large-scale generation, and the costs are large.
As someone who loves Big Engineering (tm), I've a soft spot for a Severn Barrage, but it looks as though it won't happen.
As an aside, I'm aware that pump-storage is a good means of 'storing' intermittent renewable energy. But unfortunately despite our mountainous terrain, the number of potential sites where pump-storage can be used to any scale are few. I wonder if it is possible to combine tidal lagoons and pump-storage? Or is that just a stupid idea?
I agree CCGT's are the way to go for the bulk of our energy, and we need to get building. But if we are diversifying energy, as all parties seem to want, then nuclear seems a good thing to put into the mix. I prefer it to yet more, very expensive, onshore wind.
But that's just me.
The problem with diversification for diversification's sake is that it inevitably means higher prices.
If we are building new nuclear and guaranteeing it £95/MWh (and bear in mind that it is going to generate around the same number of MWh of as all the wind in the UK), we are going to push up electricity prices and discourage investment in new gas. This will disadvantage our manufacturing base.
They've been voting for a left wing labour candidate for 30 odd years, don't see why it should change now Corbo is in charge... Big Asian and Muslim area, split UKIP and Tory vote...
Surely a walkover for lab? 1/50?
The Labour price at the Bradford West by election of 2012 would have been something like that.
True, although surely Galloway won't do it again? Question is, can anybody else? Positive Labour support seems relatively thin on the ground but what alternatives are there? This will be a fascinating by-election for all the main English parties right down to the Lib Dems.
They've been voting for a left wing labour candidate for 30 odd years, don't see why it should change now Corbo is in charge... Big Asian and Muslim area, split UKIP and Tory vote...
Surely a walkover for lab? 1/50?
The Labour price at the Bradford West by election of 2012 would have been something like that.
Lab started off that byelection with 45% of the vote. Here they start off with 55%. Comfy Lab hold
Some anti-nuclear idiot on DP saying that renewables are the way to go, as the wind always blows in the UK, and the sun always shines above the clouds.
The tides do always come in and out though - I'm quite taken with the tidal lagoon idea (provided sea life can be reasonably protected). One thing we're not short of is coastline. What are your thoughts?
I have read previously that sea-based energy generation has incredibly expensive maintenance costs.
I agree CCGT's are the way to go for the bulk of our energy, and we need to get building. But if we are diversifying energy, as all parties seem to want, then nuclear seems a good thing to put into the mix. I prefer it to yet more, very expensive, onshore wind.
But that's just me.
The problem with diversification for diversification's sake is that it inevitably means higher prices.
If we are building new nuclear and guaranteeing it £95/MWh (and bear in mind that it is going to generate around the same number of MWh of as all the wind in the UK), we are going to push up electricity prices and discourage investment in new gas. This will disadvantage our manufacturing base.
I'm not particularly in favour of diversification: we should only be diversifying to ensure greater energy security IMO.
But that battle's been lost. All parties (except UKIP perhaps?) are in favour of diversification into green energy, some of which is utterly untried at the required scale.
Some anti-nuclear idiot on DP saying that renewables are the way to go, as the wind always blows in the UK, and the sun always shines above the clouds.
The tides do always come in and out though - I'm quite taken with the tidal lagoon idea (provided sea life can be reasonably protected). One thing we're not short of is coastline. What are your thoughts?
IANAE, but the number of sites are limited, especially for large-scale generation, and the costs are large.
As someone who loves Big Engineering (tm), I've a soft spot for a Severn Barrage, but it looks as though it won't happen.
As an aside, I'm aware that pump-storage is a good means of 'storing' intermittent renewable energy. But unfortunately despite our mountainous terrain, the number of potential sites where pump-storage can be used to any scale are few. I wonder if it is possible to combine tidal lagoons and pump-storage? Or is that just a stupid idea?
I agree CCGT's are the way to go for the bulk of our energy, and we need to get building. But if we are diversifying energy, as all parties seem to want, then nuclear seems a good thing to put into the mix. I prefer it to yet more, very expensive, onshore wind.
But that's just me.
The problem with diversification for diversification's sake is that it inevitably means higher prices.
If we are building new nuclear and guaranteeing it £95/MWh (and bear in mind that it is going to generate around the same number of MWh of as all the wind in the UK), we are going to push up electricity prices and discourage investment in new gas. This will disadvantage our manufacturing base.
I'm not particularly in favour of diversification: we should only be diversifying to ensure greater energy security IMO.
But that battle's been lost. All parties (except UKIP perhaps?) are in favour of diversification into green energy, some of which is utterly untried at the required scale.
No, it's been tried.
We know the cost of massive subsidy of green technologies. See Germany or Denmark.
They've been voting for a left wing labour candidate for 30 odd years, don't see why it should change now Corbo is in charge... Big Asian and Muslim area, split UKIP and Tory vote...
Surely a walkover for lab? 1/50?
The Labour price at the Bradford West by election of 2012 would have been something like that.
Lab started off that byelection with 45% of the vote. Here they start off with 55%. Comfy Lab hold
Although had Galloway achieved the same swing with Labour starting off on 55%, he'd still have won.
Some anti-nuclear idiot on DP saying that renewables are the way to go, as the wind always blows in the UK, and the sun always shines above the clouds.
The tides do always come in and out though - I'm quite taken with the tidal lagoon idea (provided sea life can be reasonably protected). One thing we're not short of is coastline. What are your thoughts?
I have read previously that sea-based energy generation has incredibly expensive maintenance costs.
You're absolutely correct. All the pilot projects have had horrible issues with corrosion and reliability.
Gas is clean. Gas is available. Gas is cheap. Gas is reliable. Gas works at £44/MW. (Not £95/MW like nuclear.)
The point is, ladies and gentlemen, that Gas, for lack of a better word, is good. Gas is right, Gas works. Gas clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Gas, in all of its forms; Gas for life, for money, for love, knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind. And Gas, you mark my words, will not only save the Energy Sector, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the UK. Thank you very much.
As an aside, buying a couple of cheap open cycle gas turbines, and connecting them up to the grid to benefit from any spike in prices mightn't be a bad idea...
Do you have any figures on how much we are spending on CCGT plants that are being placed in reserve?
I have a spreadsheet with every power station in the country, including mothballed plants :-)
More seriously: are you asking about capacity payments, or about the amount spent by generating companies on keeping equipment ready to be brought back on stream?
Sorry to hear about Michael Meacher, a decent man.
On DCI Settle's evidence, surely this dynamite? Anonymised evidence = no case to answer, name a Tory peer on the the same evidence and the case is re-opened. You really couldn't get more direct proof that this is a politically-motivated witchhunt.
They've been voting for a left wing labour candidate for 30 odd years, don't see why it should change now Corbo is in charge... Big Asian and Muslim area, split UKIP and Tory vote...
Surely a walkover for lab? 1/50?
The Labour price at the Bradford West by election of 2012 would have been something like that.
Lab started off that byelection with 45% of the vote. Here they start off with 55%. Comfy Lab hold
Although had Galloway achieved the same swing with Labour starting off on 55%, he'd still have won.
Also around the time of the 'Omnishambles Budget', which now in retrospect we can see to have been peak Miliband.
They've been voting for a left wing labour candidate for 30 odd years, don't see why it should change now Corbo is in charge... Big Asian and Muslim area, split UKIP and Tory vote...
Sorry to hear about Michael Meacher, a decent man.
On DCI Settle's evidence, surely this dynamite? Anonymised evidence = no case to answer, name a Tory peer on the the same evidence and the case is re-opened. You really couldn't get more direct proof that this is a politically-motivated witchhunt.
I'd expect Crick and C4 News to be on his case again tonight ...
They've been voting for a left wing labour candidate for 30 odd years, don't see why it should change now Corbo is in charge... Big Asian and Muslim area, split UKIP and Tory vote...
Surely a walkover for lab? 1/50?
The Labour price at the Bradford West by election of 2012 would have been something like that.
Yeah fair enough... If Galloway stands he might win? But he wants to be Mayor of London at the mo
Vaz very supportive of Settle - makes a big point of saying that any attempts to harm his career as a result of appearing would be a contempt of Parly.
Gas is clean. Gas is available. Gas is cheap. Gas is reliable. Gas works at £44/MW. (Not £95/MW like nuclear.)
The point is, ladies and gentlemen, that Gas, for lack of a better word, is good. Gas is right, Gas works. Gas clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Gas, in all of its forms; Gas for life, for money, for love, knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind. And Gas, you mark my words, will not only save the Energy Sector, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the UK. Thank you very much.
As an aside, buying a couple of cheap open cycle gas turbines, and connecting them up to the grid to benefit from any spike in prices mightn't be a bad idea...
Do you have any figures on how much we are spending on CCGT plants that are being placed in reserve?
I have a spreadsheet with every power station in the country, including mothballed plants :-)
More seriously: are you asking about capacity payments, or about the amount spent by generating companies on keeping equipment ready to be brought back on stream?
I thought I was geeky.
I'm not sure: I might have got the wrong end of the stick, but I was talking to someone who works at a power station. He says they are being paid a lot of money from the government (no idea which part) to convert their plant to immediate standby or somesuch, so they can be turned on very quickly when renewables generation plummets.
On top of this, they get a payment for all the time the plant is on standby.
I trust what he says, so if that's wrong then it's my interpretation and memory of what he said!
Some anti-nuclear idiot on DP saying that renewables are the way to go, as the wind always blows in the UK, and the sun always shines above the clouds.
The tides do always come in and out though - I'm quite taken with the tidal lagoon idea (provided sea life can be reasonably protected). One thing we're not short of is coastline. What are your thoughts?
I have read previously that sea-based energy generation has incredibly expensive maintenance costs.
You're absolutely correct. All the pilot projects have had horrible issues with corrosion and reliability.
On gas, I have read that it is cleaner than coal, but still a lot dirtier than nuclear and renewables.
Why is the strike price so high for this nuclear deal? I thought nuclear was supposed to be cheap.
They've been voting for a left wing labour candidate for 30 odd years, don't see why it should change now Corbo is in charge... Big Asian and Muslim area, split UKIP and Tory vote...
Surely a walkover for lab? 1/50?
The Labour price at the Bradford West by election of 2012 would have been something like that.
Yeah fair enough... If Galloway stands he might win? But he wants to be Mayor of London at the mo
If Galloway stands, then UKIP could slip through the middle and win:
UKIP 30 Galloway 25 Labour 25 Tories 15 The Field 5%
They've been voting for a left wing labour candidate for 30 odd years, don't see why it should change now Corbo is in charge... Big Asian and Muslim area, split UKIP and Tory vote...
Surely a walkover for lab? 1/50?
The Labour price at the Bradford West by election of 2012 would have been something like that.
True, although surely Galloway won't do it again? Question is, can anybody else? Positive Labour support seems relatively thin on the ground but what alternatives are there? This will be a fascinating by-election for all the main English parties right down to the Lib Dems.
'right down to the Lib Dems' - how the mighty have fallen.
Gas is clean. Gas is available. Gas is cheap. Gas is reliable. Gas works at £44/MW. (Not £95/MW like nuclear.)
The point is, ladies and gentlemen, that Gas, for lack of a better word, is good. Gas is right, Gas works. Gas clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Gas, in all of its forms; Gas for life, for money, for love, knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind. And Gas, you mark my words, will not only save the Energy Sector, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the UK. Thank you very much.
As an aside, buying a couple of cheap open cycle gas turbines, and connecting them up to the grid to benefit from any spike in prices mightn't be a bad idea...
Do you have any figures on how much we are spending on CCGT plants that are being placed in reserve?
I have a spreadsheet with every power station in the country, including mothballed plants :-)
More seriously: are you asking about capacity payments, or about the amount spent by generating companies on keeping equipment ready to be brought back on stream?
I thought I was geeky.
I'm not sure: I might have got the wrong end of the stick, but I was talking to someone who works at a power station. He says they are being paid a lot of money from the government (no idea which part) to convert their plant to immediate standby or somesuch, so they can be turned on very quickly when renewables generation plummets.
On top of this, they get a payment for all the time the plant is on standby.
I trust what he says, so if that's wrong then it's my interpretation and memory of what he said!
That's Capacity Payments. If I had a bit more time, I could write you an essay on them. But IIRC, there are about £1bn of capacity payments handed out (from 2018) for people to own capacity and have it ready to supply electicity.
Mr. JEO, I'd guess it's because Labour dicked about doing nothing on energy, and the Coalition was very nearly as bad. We need to build rapidly, and the Chinese aren't muppets.
Some anti-nuclear idiot on DP saying that renewables are the way to go, as the wind always blows in the UK, and the sun always shines above the clouds.
The tides do always come in and out though - I'm quite taken with the tidal lagoon idea (provided sea life can be reasonably protected). One thing we're not short of is coastline. What are your thoughts?
I have read previously that sea-based energy generation has incredibly expensive maintenance costs.
You're absolutely correct. All the pilot projects have had horrible issues with corrosion and reliability.
On gas, I have read that it is cleaner than coal, but still a lot dirtier than nuclear and renewables.
Why is the strike price so high for this nuclear deal? I thought nuclear was supposed to be cheap.
No nuclear power plant has ever been built, anywhere in the world, without government subsidies.
The problem with nuclear is that it is theoretically cheap, but that construction costs often massively overrun, and reliability is often far worse than planned.
Comments
World average = 44%.
https://twitter.com/Sunil_P2/status/637020695478824960
The tories can do nothing right it seems. For everybody but the electorate.
Furious parishioners kicked out of their local Catholic church http://dailym.ai/1OHQAEo via @MailOnline
No wonder Christianity, of all sects, is failing in Britain. The clergy seem to be the parishioners worst enemy.
We have made guarantees for the electricity supplied by HPB that are more generous than those that we offer wind producers. (Unlike with wind, the price of electricity supplied by HPB has an inflation price escalator.)
If you are considering building a CCGT in the UK, you are factoring in the fact that total demand for electricity is likely to drop 7% when HPB comes on stream. This means the price of all none-HPB energy is going to be less. (Effectively, the demand curve is moving to the left because of HPB, as HPB energy is guaranteed to be bought before electricity from your shiny new CCGT.)
It gets worse.
Nuclear plants have pretty awful reliability. Issues happen all all to regularly, which require maintenance. Essentially, at any given time there is only a c. 75% chance that they will be "on-line". This means that you need to have enough gas to deal with the inevitable period when HPB is off-line for unscheduled maintenance. (It's funny: we think of nuclear power as incredibly reliable, but in the words of The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists The idea that once nuclear reactors are built, they just hum along, putting out low-cost power with minimum maintenance, is a myth. The life cycle of a nuclear plant is quite complex. While there is a short period of stable, high performance during a reactor’s mature phase, it takes a long period of childhood and adolescent maturation to get to that level, and performance declines as old age sets in. And when they break, nuclear power plants create major problems—not only in the cost of repair, but also in the cost of short-term replacement power.)
The building of HPB, which requires subsidy and will increase power prices in the UK, also discourages investment in safe, cheap, flexible and low emitting gas fired power stations.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malayalam
Once it is built they are not going to be able to tow it back to China if we fall out with them...
Regarding the strike price, yes it is high although who knows what energy prices will be in 20 years time. Basically its a form of insurance to guard against the worst of any price spikes and since this plant will run for 60+ years, we should still be able to get plenty of cheap energy.
IAAFAIIPTGFBAE (*), but Hinkley's strike price is £92.50, or slightly less if they build Sizewell C as well. The current wholesale electricity price is £44.
However, other energy generation means receive higher strike prices: offshore wind can be £117 onshore wind £82.
http://www.carbonbrief.org/uk-renewables-auction-pushes-down-costs/
And can be much higher:
http://utilityweek.co.uk/news/offshore-wind-boost-as-government-reveals-final-strike-prices/953282#.VieUePmrTIV
It seems a mess.
I daresay the excellent Mr 1000 will put me right where I am wrong...
(*) I Am About As Far As It Is Possible To Get From Being AN Expert
There's a whole posse of them. Nelson, Dale, D'Ancona, Martin, Montgomerie, Massie, Wallace. It just goes on and on.
Not much more than Will Carling's old f8rts.
According to the Oldham Chronicle, he has passed away aged 75 “after suffering with a short illness”. He leaves behind a wife and 12 homes…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lErXbuHpGoc
As current now as it was 15 years ago.
Probably looking at a turnout of less than 30% though.
"Jane's testimony didn't make a case against Brittan."
"I saw Watson's letter as a betrayal, I told him exactly what why the decision to be made. I considered it a very low blow"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradesi_Synagogue
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cochin_Jews
It is, frankly, quite unlosable.
Probably looking at a turnout of less than 30% though.
This is the type of situation where UKIP should do well. Not win maybe, but good performance. Arguably Farage is under more pressure than Corbs.
Settle is absolutely killing Watson.
@afneil: Home affairs select committee: DCI Paul Settle thinks change of decision on interviewing Leon Brittan because of Tom Watson’s letter to DPP.
We need to build new CCGTs. We do not need HPB. By subsidising HPB we discourage investment in CCGTs.
The amount of natural gas coming on stream over the next two decades is absolutely staggering. Australia has two of the worlds largest LNG projects starting up in the next two years: Gorgon and Wheatstone. Furthermore, there is a huge amount of prospectivity around the rest of Australia. Mozambique is home to perhaps the greatest gas reserves in the world. In the US, Cabot estimates that Marcellus gas is profitable at $0.75/mmcf. (That's one tenth of the current LNG price.) New LNG facilities are being built in the US. Floating liquification vessels mean we can start exploiting stranded gas reserves around the world.
Gas is clean. Gas is available. Gas is cheap. Gas is reliable. Gas works at £44/MW. (Not £95/MW like nuclear.)
As someone who loves Big Engineering (tm), I've a soft spot for a Severn Barrage, but it looks as though it won't happen.
As an aside, I'm aware that pump-storage is a good means of 'storing' intermittent renewable energy. But unfortunately despite our mountainous terrain, the number of potential sites where pump-storage can be used to any scale are few. I wonder if it is possible to combine tidal lagoons and pump-storage? Or is that just a stupid idea?
I agree CCGT's are the way to go for the bulk of our energy, and we need to get building. But if we are diversifying energy, as all parties seem to want, then nuclear seems a good thing to put into the mix. I prefer it to yet more, very expensive, onshore wind.
But that's just me.
Politics: Generally speaking Oldham West is a safe Labour seat. It has been held by the veteran left-winger Michael Meacher since 1970, though before that it was briefly represented by the Conservatives after a 1968 by-election win. The seat received brief notoriety at the 2001 general election when, in the immediate aftermath of the Oldham riots it was contested by Nick Griffin of the BNP. Griffin finished third, ahead of the Liberal Democrats and only five hundred votes behind the Conservatives. Fearful of further inflaming local tensions the returning officer banned speeches at the declaration and Griffin infamously appeared at the declartion wearing a gag in protest."
http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/2015guide/oldhamwestandroyton/
Surely a walkover for lab? 1/50?
Maybe. Its still going to be hilarious watching Seumas Milne campaigning there.
There is virtually no LD/Green vote to squeeze from May, and Tory/UKIP was 40% or so.
Labour will win, but the margin is more important.
They got nearly 59% with Blair in 1997, 54% with Miliband.
My sympathies to Meacher's friends/family.
James Berry to DCI Settle: "how many of them were Watson's constituents?" "none"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-34420631
If we are building new nuclear and guaranteeing it £95/MWh (and bear in mind that it is going to generate around the same number of MWh of as all the wind in the UK), we are going to push up electricity prices and discourage investment in new gas. This will disadvantage our manufacturing base.
I wonder why they're supporting him... ?
DCI Settle: Lord #Brittan rape allegation did not pass any evidential test; "it fell at the first hurdle"
But that battle's been lost. All parties (except UKIP perhaps?) are in favour of diversification into green energy, some of which is utterly untried at the required scale.
In the electricity world, we like to talk about LCOE. And that captures the differnce between capital and operating cost, at least to some degree.
(Edit to add: see http://www.nrel.gov/analysis/tech_lcoe.html)
We know the cost of massive subsidy of green technologies. See Germany or Denmark.
More seriously: are you asking about capacity payments, or about the amount spent by generating companies on keeping equipment ready to be brought back on stream?
On DCI Settle's evidence, surely this dynamite? Anonymised evidence = no case to answer, name a Tory peer on the the same evidence and the case is re-opened. You really couldn't get more direct proof that this is a politically-motivated witchhunt.
Settle says he's been sidelined by Met for making stand re Lord #Brittan. @Keith_Vaz: "What are you doing now?" Settle: "Not a great deal"
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34592797
They don't get what they demand so they resort to arson. They should be immediately deported back to wherever they came from.
I'm not sure: I might have got the wrong end of the stick, but I was talking to someone who works at a power station. He says they are being paid a lot of money from the government (no idea which part) to convert their plant to immediate standby or somesuch, so they can be turned on very quickly when renewables generation plummets.
On top of this, they get a payment for all the time the plant is on standby.
I trust what he says, so if that's wrong then it's my interpretation and memory of what he said!
Why is the strike price so high for this nuclear deal? I thought nuclear was supposed to be cheap.
UKIP 30
Galloway 25
Labour 25
Tories 15
The Field 5%
Merkel calls meeting to stem migrant tide http://on.ft.com/1RW6iKP
*innocent face*
The problem with nuclear is that it is theoretically cheap, but that construction costs often massively overrun, and reliability is often far worse than planned.