Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what the length of time taken was to re-establish commercial levels of electricity supply from a mothballed gas fired plant to the National Grid.

A report by independent energy consultants Parsons Brinckerhoff commissioned by the Department considers the timescales to mothball and return gas plant to service:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/technical-assessment-of-the-operation-of-coal-gas-fired-plants.

The report indicates a restoration period between 2 and 90 days dependent on a number of factors including the type of plant, the period for which it has been mothballed and whether a major overall is required before a plant is returned to service.