Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973

170A Production and supply of heat and electricity etc. by local authorities. S

(1) Subject to subsections (2) and (3) of this section, a local authority may—

(a) produce heat or electricity or both;

(b) establish and operate such generating stations and other installations as the authority think fit for the purpose of producing heat or electricity or both;

(c) buy or otherwise acquire heat;

(d) use, sell or otherwise dispose of heat produced or acquired, or electricity produced, by the authority by virtue of this section;

(e) without prejudice to the generality of the preceding paragraph, enter into and carry out agreements for the supply by the authority, to premises within or outside the authority’s area, of such heat as is mentioned in the preceding paragraphs and steam produced from and air and water heated by such heat.

(2) Nothing in subsection (1) of this section shall be construed as exempting a local authority from the requirements of Part I of the Electricity Act 1989.

(3) Except in such cases as may be prescribed, [F1 or in cases where it is produced from waste,] a local authority shall not be entitled to sell electricity which is produced otherwise than in association with heat.

(4) A local authority may—

(a) construct, lay and maintain pipes and associated works for the purpose of conveying heat produced or acquired by the authority by virtue of this section and steam produced from and air and water heated by such heat;

(b) contribute towards the cost incurred by another person in providing or maintaining pipes or associated works which are connected with pipes provided by the authority in pursuance of the preceding paragraph.

(5) Parts I and II of Schedule 3 to the M1 Water (Scotland) Act 1980 (which relate to the breaking open of roads and the laying of communication and supply pipes etc.) shall apply in relation to pipes and associated works provided or to be provided in pursuance of paragraph (a) of the preceding subsection as those Parts apply in relation to water mains and pipes but as if—

(a) in paragraph 1 of that Schedule the words “which they are authorised to lay” were omitted;

(b) for the reference to the special Act in paragraph 2(3) of that Schedule there were substituted a reference to this subsection;

(c) for any reference to a water authority or a water development board there were substituted a reference to the local authority in question, whether acting alone or jointly with some other person; and

(d) for any reference to the limits of supply or area of a water authority or a water development board there were substituted a reference to the area of the local authority.

(6) It shall be the duty of a local authority by whom an installation for producing heat is operated in pursuance of this section in any financial year to furnish to the Secretary of State, as soon as practicable after the end of that year, such particulars relating to the installation and heat produced at the installation as are prescribed.

(7) In this section “associated works” in relation to pipes, means any of the following connected with the pipes, namely, any valve, filter, stopcock, pump, meter, inspection chamber and manhole and such other works as are prescribed.

(8) Nothing in this section (except the restrictions imposed by subsection (3)) shall be construed as prejudicing any power exercisable by a local authority apart from this section.

(9) Regulations under subsection (3) of this section shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 170A(3) inserted (1.4.1991) by Environmental Protection Act 1990 (c. 43, SIF 46:4), s. 162(1), Sch. 15 para. 13; S.I. 1991/1042, art.2

Marginal Citations

M1 1980 c. 45 ((130).).