RWE npower has today announced a thorough investigation into the feasibility of a new, state of the art 2400 megawatt, cleaner coal power station on the site of the former Blyth Power Station.
In an environmental ‘scoping document’ submitted to the Department of Trade and Industry today, RWE npower outlines proposals for a new power station consisting of three 800MW, high efficiency, supercritical coal-fired units which would generate enough energy to supply around 3.5 million homes.
The new station being considered would be extremely efficient, reducing Carbon Dioxide (CO2) by over 22 per cent per unit of electricity generated compared to an equivalent sized existing UK coal-fired power station. This would represent a reduction of over three million tonnes of CO2 per year.
It would also be designed to be ”carbon capture ready” which, once Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology is proven, would enable the CO2 to be transported to the North Sea and stored in geological formations. The new station would also be developed to include facilities for burning up to 10% carbon neutral fuels known as ‘biomass’ to further reduce emissions.
Kevin Akhurst, Managing Director Generation and Renewables said: “The UK needs to maintain a broad mix of energy generation to guarantee secure electricity in the years ahead. Coal is a vital component of this mix which is why we’re considering possible locations for coal plant in both the North and South of England.
“Environmental issues are a major consideration. A modern ‘supercritical’ coal plant would result in a significant net reduction in CO2 levels, but we are also proposing to make the power station ready for carbon capture and storage technology. There are still many financial, legal, regulatory and technical hurdles to clear but carbon capture and storage is too important to ignore. We’re committed to further research and development in this area.”
Blyth is an ideal location for a new power station because of the proximity to port and rail facilities for transporting materials and ample water supply needed to run the station. The coastal location could also put Blyth at the centre of the development of CCS technology, a potential major industry in the future.
The proposed development would represent a major long-term commitment to the Wansbeck and Blyth areas by npower. A new station, which could be operational by 2014, represents around £2 billion of investment and provides a range of benefits, including over 150 permanent jobs, over 1500 jobs during construction and a multi-million pound contribution to the local economy.
The Scoping Report is an early stage in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process and is designed to ensure that the environmental studies undertaken provide all the relevant information required for the assessment. Once the full EIA has been undertaken an application for the proposed development will be made to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989.
|
