LATEST - Prenergy Power Station - Feb 2011

It has been over 3 years since planning approval was given by the Secretary of State to build the world’s largest woodchip burning power station in Port Talbot. However the power station is suffering from delays and to date not a brick has been laid. After four years, public opposition against the Prenergy 350MW biomass power station is STILL continuing!

The Environment Agency (Wales) announced on the 15th January 2011 that it was 'minded' to allow an increase in emissions of Nitrous Oxide, Hydrogen Chloride and Sulphur dioxide from the proposed Prenergy 350MW woodchip burning power station. The Agency also announced a 28 day public consultation period, which ended on the 11th February 2011.

PT-RAPS is strongly opposed to any increase in such emissions, due to many years of poor air quality experienced in the town from the steelworks (see local environment page). We also believe that operating licences should only be awarded to actual operators, not developers posing as operators, who merely intend to sell the projects on.

Prenergy has maintained throughout the project that there was a plentiful supply of wood around the world to fuel this development. The fact that Prenergy has had to apply for a change to the permit to increase emissions, thereby allowing it to burn whatever wood it can lay its hands on, is proof enough that there are supply problems with the fuel (see wider environment page)