Examining Efficiency in UK Electricity

In reaction to those demands, Winksel (2002) confirmed that a small number of international plant manufacturers such as General Electric, Asea Brown Boveri, Westinghouse and Siemens began investing heavily in industrial gas turbine development, and developed “advanced units of around 100MW to 150MW specifically for use in combined cycle plant” (Winskel, 2002, p.569). In 1989, the manufacturers released a new series of advanced designs “rated at over 200MW, and by 1990, gas turbines were capturing two-thirds of all power plant orders in the USA” (Winskel, 2002, p.569).

At the time of British ESI privatisation process, the CEGB remained firmly committed to coal-fired steam turbine and nuclear power technology. There were no new power stations under construction other than a single nuclear plant, the Sizewell B Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR), and the CEGB was expressing fears of a potential capacity shortage. In February 1988, “the Board applied for planning consent for two 1800MW coal-fired power stations, based on 900MW steam turbine units newly developed by the CEGB i...