Coal-fired power crunch
28 Jan 2008
E.on UK says it has no idea when UK government will make a decision on its proposal to build a 1,600MW coal-fired power station in Kent, at Kingsnorth, near Rochester. "We really don't know," a spokesperson emphasised.
Medway Council has raised no planning objection to the project going ahead, but the final decision lies with government, which can make a yes/no decision or call for a public inquiry.
E.on is ready to proceed with the project as and when it gets a green light. It has yet to go to tender, but expects commissioning within 4-5 years from receiving the go-ahead.
Up to £1 billion will be spent installing two 800MW supercritical coal-fired units that will be much more efficient than the existing coal-fired station on the site, saving almost two million tonnes of carbon emissions annually.
"If built, these units would be the first new coal build in the UK for over 20 years," said E.on project manager Adrian Smith, "and could set a new benchmark for cleaner coal-fired generation in the UK."
E.on plans to equip the new plant with carbon capture and storage (CCS) capability, but admits the technology is not yet proven commercially — and doesn't know when it will be. It is working on a number of development projects for different types of CCS, but Kingsnorth will use a post-combustion technology.
CCS technology is also scheduled for E.on's Killingholme site in Lincolnshire, where it proposes to use a pre-combustion system in a new IGCC (Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle) plant.
In Scotland, local generator Scottish Power is undertaking a clean coal feasibility study for its two biggest stations, at Longannet, Fife and Cockenzie, East Lothian, which have a combined capacity of 3,390MW. The use of supercritical turbines and boilers would reduce carbon emissions by an estimated 20%.
Construction would start in 2009 if the project goes ahead, with operations starting in 2012. The designs would include suitability for installation of CCS, which would involve pumping carbon emissions into deep underground coal seams and using the methane gas driven out as fuel.
Both E.on and EDF have welcomed the government's decision to build more nuclear power stations, EDF saying it is ready to go ahead and build three or four units.
Late last year British Energy secured transmission connection agreements with National Grid to enable it to develop new nuclear stations at four sites. Additional export capacity of 1,650MW was obtained for three sites, Bradwell, Sizewll and Dungeness, and 3,330MW for Hinkley Point.
Medway Council has raised no planning objection to the project going ahead, but the final decision lies with government, which can make a yes/no decision or call for a public inquiry.
E.on is ready to proceed with the project as and when it gets a green light. It has yet to go to tender, but expects commissioning within 4-5 years from receiving the go-ahead.
Up to £1 billion will be spent installing two 800MW supercritical coal-fired units that will be much more efficient than the existing coal-fired station on the site, saving almost two million tonnes of carbon emissions annually.
"If built, these units would be the first new coal build in the UK for over 20 years," said E.on project manager Adrian Smith, "and could set a new benchmark for cleaner coal-fired generation in the UK."
E.on plans to equip the new plant with carbon capture and storage (CCS) capability, but admits the technology is not yet proven commercially — and doesn't know when it will be. It is working on a number of development projects for different types of CCS, but Kingsnorth will use a post-combustion technology.
CCS technology is also scheduled for E.on's Killingholme site in Lincolnshire, where it proposes to use a pre-combustion system in a new IGCC (Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle) plant.
In Scotland, local generator Scottish Power is undertaking a clean coal feasibility study for its two biggest stations, at Longannet, Fife and Cockenzie, East Lothian, which have a combined capacity of 3,390MW. The use of supercritical turbines and boilers would reduce carbon emissions by an estimated 20%.
Construction would start in 2009 if the project goes ahead, with operations starting in 2012. The designs would include suitability for installation of CCS, which would involve pumping carbon emissions into deep underground coal seams and using the methane gas driven out as fuel.
Both E.on and EDF have welcomed the government's decision to build more nuclear power stations, EDF saying it is ready to go ahead and build three or four units.
Late last year British Energy secured transmission connection agreements with National Grid to enable it to develop new nuclear stations at four sites. Additional export capacity of 1,650MW was obtained for three sites, Bradwell, Sizewll and Dungeness, and 3,330MW for Hinkley Point.
