asked the Minister for Transport and Power for each of the three years ended 31st March, 1958, 1959 and 1960 in terms of kilowatts the peak load demand made upon the Electricity Supply Board and, in similar terms, the total capacity of all generating stations of the Electricity Supply Board, and for each of these years the peak load demand as a percentage of such total installed capacity.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - E.S.B. Generating Stations: Peak Load Demand and Capacity.
43.
The following is the information requested by the Deputy:—
|
Year ended 31st March |
1958 |
1959 |
1960 |
|
Date of peak load |
16th December |
13th January |
20th January |
|
Kw. |
Kw. |
Kw. |
|
|
Total generating capacity |
604,500 |
644,500 |
648,500 |
|
Maximum load |
412,000 |
462,000 |
476,000 |
|
Maximum peak load as percentage of total generating capacity |
68.2% |
71.68% |
73.4% |
These figures for generating capacity represent the installed capacity at the time of the peak load. The rating of the Pigeon House Station as shown in the annual reports of the Board is 95,000 KW but the station, which is an old and uneconomic station, is effective only to the extent of 55,000 KW.
These figures should be interpreted in the light of my reply on the 7th December to a question put down by Deputy Lindsay in which I indicated, inter alia, that when there is a shortage of water for the hydro stations, which usually occurs in the Autumn, the steam stations must make good the deficiency and in the last two years when water supplies were at lowest, all the steam stations including both turf and coal/oil stations had to be used at times to maximum output capacity.
The Deputy will find the whole matter very aptly illustrated in Appendix 13 to the Board's Annual Reports.
Then what the Minister said was untrue.
Not at all.
It was. The Minister answered a question that was not asked and the reply he gave was untrue.
I was dealing with the question of whether there was excess capacity. I said nothing that was true.
The Minister gave an untrue answer to the question asked.
Is it in order to attribute untruthfulness to a Minister?
Yes. Untruthfulness, yes.
The remaining questions will be put down for answer to-morrow.