GE reserves ‘are not for pipeline’
Saturday 21st March 2009, 2:00PM GMT.
A GAS pipeline to the continent is likely to cost in the region of £80m., Guernsey Electricity has claimed.
The utility said its consultants investigated piping gas from France for power generation in 2006, as an alternative means of supplying fuel needed for
on-island generation. It was ruled out because of costs and limited benefits.
Engineering director Steve Morris said the £80m. estimate was purely for a gas pipeline, and is likely to have risen. Bringing in oil would cost considerably more, he said, as it would require an additional pipe.
Mr Morris said a gas pipeline had proved economic for the Isle of Man only because it was close to the pipeline between Scotland and Ireland.
‘For any pipeline coming from the Continent, even via Jersey, the longest leg is between Jersey and Guernsey. We would end up meeting the lion’s share of the cost.’
Mr Morris dismissed any suggestion that GE’s reserves could help fund such a project.
‘Our reserves are there to fund the future investment that will be required to replace our existing on-island generating capacity and augment our import capability,’ he said.
‘To propose that this instead be used to fund a gas pipeline, with dubious benefits, is complete nonsense, but I can understand why it would appeal to the island’s gas supplier.
‘Guernsey Electricity funded the cable to Jersey and France, and there is nothing to stop Guernsey Gas similarly from funding a pipeline if they believe it to be so beneficial.
‘As the island’s energy policy clearly sets out, the only energy source available locally that has the future potential to be entirely carbon free is electricity.
‘That is a fact.’
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While GE draws power via cable from the French grid, it continues to maintain and operate the Guernsey power station. This provides security of supply (surely essential for an island), and also means that when French prices climb beyond a certain threshold, power can be generated at lower cost at home. To do this, they operate, I believe, two modern gas turbines that can efficiently be on-line within twenty minutes. More questionably, they still operate several heavy oil marine engines that are high on maintenance and cost. These take up to an hour to bring on-line, and will always require a dedicated fuel supply chain to deliver HFO .
While the idea of a gas pipeline may have it’s merits, so long as any savings are passed on to the consumer (highly unlikely), there will still always be a need for suitable berthage for tankers. Petroleum, diesel, industrial chemicals, cement and other bulk products, not to mention HFO for the big GE engines, will always need to be brought in. Of all the proposals, having your very own deep water berth would surely be the most economical and sensible.
There will always be shipping – and any island nation, however small, should have a decent harbour.
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80 million plus!! Why aren’t we looking at funding alternative energy for Guernsey.
It will cost more from the outset however over the decades it will cost each Guern less and less untill we are eventually self sufficient for energy for our homes and businesses.
But will our short-sighted politicians and us Guerns ourselves actually do anything.
Probably not. But please we should at least try.
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Why not use Tidal Energy? We only have one of the biggest tidal ranges at our disposal. We pump sewage into the sea, so why not get our energy from it also?
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Who is Steve Morris to say “Guernsey Electricity funded the cable to Jersey and France, and there is nothing to stop Guernsey Gas similarly from funding a pipeline if they believe it to be so beneficial”
In case Mr Morris doesn’t realise GE is owned byy the taxpayer whilst Guernsey Gas is a private company.
Time for Guernsey Electricity to appreciate who their ultimate masters are .
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All the more reason why Guernsey Gas should pay for it themselves
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I wish people would stop bleating on about alternative energy. It’s too expensive and you’d all whine if your electricity bills went up. Besides, a tidal power plant big enough to power Guernsey would cost about £500m (Block, E., 2008).
More importantly, all those pesky tidal turbines would get in the way of my speedboat.
I’d suggest either buying Jersey and turning it into a windfarm to power Guernsey or saving energy by leaving your PC turned off and not writing inane comments on forums.
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