City and Suburban
Wise virgins Iwonder whether we are saving ourselves money, by not burning coal. We Shouldn't be. The oil industry reckons that coal is about 40 per cent cheaper as a source ?r Power, in open markets. Brokers Simon &Coates say the power stations are burning an extra £44 million worth of oil a week, replacing £25 million worth of coal. Yes, but the price of fuel oil includes a five or six Per cent duty. The price of coal does not in- clude the cost of keeping large stocks at the Power stations — 35 million tonnes before the overtime ban started. That has proved essential, but it tied up some £1,500 million and therefore cost the electricity board some £150 million a year to finance. The Coal Board in its last year absorbed £1,300 million in losses and subsidies. Since the Power stations took three-quarters of the oal, isn't that £1,025 million a year thrown into their scales, in favour of coal and against oil? How much cheaper would our hoMe-produced oil and gas be without their special tax burden of £10,000 million? What about those grants for conversion begin to boilers to coal-fired? Do we °,egin to see how the country with Europe's .nchest energy resources has some of the tughest energy costs? At today's price, can we afford coal?
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