16 March 2010 - Ayrshire Power, owned by the UK's Peel Energy, has submitted plans to the Scottish Government to build a GBP3bn ($4.5bn), 1.6 GW coal fired power plant with carbon capture and storage (CCS) at Hunterston.
Plans for the 1.6 GW project, which will be based on the site of the existing Clydeport coal handling facility, were submitted to the Scottish Government's Energy Consents Unit. The plans represent the first application for a coal fired power station to be submitted since environmental laws in the UK were changed.
Under the new regulations, which were introduced last year, coal plants must be fitted with carbon capture technology. The new power station will also burn both coal and biomass.
The application will enter a “gate checking” phase while the Scottish Government ensures all the information needed for a full assessment of the proposals is included, before being put forward for public consultation. Ayrshire Power said it would “use highly efficient modern technology with strict emissions control”, with 90 per cent of carbon from the plant being captured, and reducing coal consumption by up to 25 per cent.
