DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
AND CLIMATE CHANGE News Release (2009/011) issued by COI News
Distribution Service. 5 February 2009
Energy and Climate
Change Minister Mike O'Brien today granted consent for three
new power stations capable of providing approximately four million
homes with electricity to be constructed at Pembroke, King's
Lynn and Hatfield.
The new gas fired power stations will produce around 4 gigawatts
of power and will help to secure the future supply of energy for
British households.
The consented power stations are:
* a 2,000 MW Combined Cycle Gas Turbine power station at
Pembroke, South West Wales to RWE npower
* a 900 MW integrated coal gasification gas-fired power station
at Hatfield, Yorkshire to Powerfuel Power Ltd
* a 1,020 MW Combined Cycle Gas Turbine power station at
King's Lynn, Norfolk to Centrica Leasing (KL) Ltd
Each power station agreed during the planning process that they
will have the necessary land available to retrofit a carbon
capture and storage plant for future use.
Consent was also given to build a second phase at Hatfield
consisting of an integrated coal gasification combined cycle power
station, which will use coal to produce hydrogen to fuel the station.
As part of the phase two process of producing the gas, the
company has applied to capture and remove the carbon. This might
involve piping it off-shore for long-term storage and possibly
using a small volume for commercial purposes. This technology
would dramatically reduce emissions into the atmosphere. Operation
of this second phase will however be conditional on the company
submitting further evidence to Ministers demonstrating the carbon
can be stored safely.
Mike O'Brien said:
"It is essential to replace older polluting power stations
that are reaching the end of their lives with new stations that
operate more efficiently. We welcome the investment from energy
companies to do this.
"Investment like this in the energy sector will create new
engineering and construction jobs.
"Each of the companies granted consent has indicated that
the National Agreement for the Engineering Construction Industry
will be a key consideration in the contracts they award.
"These power stations will generate energy for four million
homes for decades to come."
Notes for editors:
1. Proposals to construct power stations with a capacity greater
than 50 MW requires the Secretary of State's consent under
section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989. Planning permission can be
deemed to be granted under section 90(2) of the Town and Country
Planning Act. 1990.
2. Each consent was also given deemed planning permission,
following the agreement of individual conditions with relevant
local planning authorities.
3. As the application for the Hatfield power station is in the
Secretary of State Ed Miliband's constituency, he has had no
role in assessing the application. The decision was made by Energy
and Climate Change Minister Mike O'Brien.
4. The approvals are subject to the design of each power station
including the capacity to extract high pressure steam to supply
nearby industries, should the demand materialise.
5. Gas fired power stations produce less than half of the carbon
emissions of traditional coal fired stations.
Department of Energy and Climate Change
7th Floor, 3-8
Whitehall Place, London, SW1A 9HH
Public enquiries +44 (0)300
060 4000
Textphone +44 (0)20 7215 6740 (for those with hearing impairment)
http://www.decc.gov.uk