Pembroke loses first bid for state-of-the-art power station

11:34am Wednesday 30th May 2007

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RWE npower has today announced that it will not build a 1650MW Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) power station at Pembroke, choosing instead Staythorpe in Nottinghamshire.

The company explained that the Staythorpe site already has consent under Section 36 of the Electricity Act and a gas pipeline currently in place.

"We need to start construction on a power station this year in order to address the UK's energy shortfall," said Chris Elston, director of RWE npower projects.

The company, however, has stressed its commitment to the county, saying that it is still looking to develop a new 2000MW CCGT gas power station at Pembroke.

They say that they have already spent £5 million on the Pembroke project and anticipate investing another £10 million to bring it to a point where construction could begin.

They are currently working with the planning authorities on Section 36 consent application and have already carried out a range of investigation works on the company's Pembroke site.

A survey of the ground conditions deep below the Milford Haven waterway is currently being conducted along the route of the planned gas pipeline.

"We are committed to the on-going development of our plans for a power station at Pembroke and we will continue to invest in the site while we work with the relevant authorities to gain planning consent," said Mr Elston.

"In the meantime, we will ensure the local community in Pembroke are kept informed about the proposed development."

The company say the proposed CCGT plant at Pembroke would add £800m of investment to the area and create 100 full time highly skilled jobs with many more secured through the indirect benefits of investment once the power station is operational.

Stephen Crabb, Member of Parliament for Preseli Pembrokeshire, expressed his disappointment that the Pembroke site had not been chosen and blamed bureaucratic foot dragging.

"Thanks to our antiquated planning system, the application for the Pembroke site has been wrapped up in red tape for the last two years.," he said.

"Frankly I do not understand why it has taken this long to resolve the issues raised by the Countryside Council for Wales and the Environment Agency. With Britain's power stations needing to be replaced very soon, RWE have taken the sensible decision and opted to build first at Staythorpe.

""I am disappointed that Pembroke will not be the site for RWE's first new generation gas-fired power station.

"It remains an ideal location for such a facility, especially given its proximity to the LNG terminals. It would also have helped sustain the construction and engineering boom that has lifted the Pembrokeshire economy in recent years."

See next week's Western Telegraph for more comments.