Local Environment :: PT-RAPS Port Talbot Residents Against Power Stations

LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS - AIR QUALITY

Port Talbot already suffers high levels of air pollution from the local steelworks. For a number of years Port Talbot has failed EU air quality directives for particulates and also polyaromatic hydrocarbons (a carcinogenic emission caused by burning processes). Particulate matter smaller than 10 microns (PM10) damages the pulmonary system (heart and lungs) and reduces live expectancy. The graph below shows the last ten years of PM10 air quality experienced in Port Talbot. [The EU legal requirement, is the horizontal line shown in red].The town is also subject to high nitrogen dioxide levels, sulphur dioxide a lot of iron ore dust, coal dust,and industrial noise as well as a host of toxic emissions such as lead and cadmium.

pm10 exceedences

Although in the last few years there has been a noticeable improvement in air quality, overall this improvement has to be put into the context, namely that there has been an economic downturn and reduced activity in the steelworks. The high potential for pollution still exists, as was recently demonstrated on the 6th February 2011, when monitored PM10 levels for the day were over three times the allowable daily limit. This pollution event was one of the worst incidents recorded since monitoring began back in 1997.The problem with developing further heavy industry in Port Talbot is that the location is surrounded by steep hills (rising up 300m) that trap in the air pollution.

It is against this backdrop that PT-RAPS feels it is plainly wrong and unjust to build further power stations here. Currently there are two commercial power stations operating that supply the National Grid Network and three Tata owned power stations that power the steelworks, making five in all.

In addition to these five power stations there are three more either consented, or being considered in planning. If these are all built it would give Port Talbot, a town of just 60,000 people, eight separate power stations totalling around 2GW generating capacity. or enough to power the whole of Wales.

Is this a severe case of power station dumping by the Department of Energy and Climate Change?

If your town can match 8 power stations, then please drop us a line on:

info@pt-raps.co.uk

WORLDS LARGEST WOOD BURNING POWER STATION AWARDED OPERATING PERMIT BY THE ENVIRONMENT AGENCY

PT-RAPS is totally disgusted with the Environment Agency Wales for awarding an operating licence (on 30th Sept 09) giving permission for the world’s largest wood burning power station in Port Talbot. For the past ten years Port Talbot has consistently failed to meet EC air quality limits for Particulate matter under 10 microns called Pm10.

The EAW said they were satisfied that Prenergy had the necessary experience for them to have confidence to award the operating permit. This was despite the fact that Prenergy is a shell company and their annual accounts show there is only one employee on the pay role. PT-RAPS believes that operating licences should only be awarded to 'eventual' operators : not mere developers, who were openly advertising the project for sale throughout the permitting process)

Residents Technical Case against further polluting develpment was presented to the Environment Agency (Wales) in Nov 2008

Technical Presentation (download time 1 min)

Part 1.pdf

Part 2.pdf

PT-RAPS believes that large scale biomass power generation is neither Green nor Environmentally friendly. Increasingly the experts are agreeing with our view on this. The UK requirement for 25 Million tonnes of woodchip from abroad, equivalent to global exports is just not sustainable or affordable.

See wider environmental concerns of PT-RAPS

870MW ABERNEDD GAS POWER STATION CONSENTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE.

Energy Minister Charles Hendry this week gave the go-ahead for Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) to build the 870MW gas-fired power station near Port Talbot.

Last year Neath Port Talbot Council was consulted by the Department of Energy and Climate Change and decided to support the plans in principle, despite strong objections from some members who felt enough was enough.
Contamination -But at the same time, the authority put forward a holding objection that "robust negotiations" should take place over land contamination issues. The authority later withdrew that objection.
Baglan Bay Pressure Group coordinator Eleanor Owen said campaigners felt badly let down by this week's approval.

"We are very concerned about it because we know the land where this power station will be built is still highly contaminated," said Mrs Owen.
"We are also concerned about the possibility of air pollution and pollution to the sea and protected water running underneath the land."

Mrs Owen said the pressure group would now be focusing on the Environment Agency, which will have to allow an Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control certificate before the power station could operate."We are not giving up," she added.

http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/news/ahead-second-plant/article-3262073-detail/article.html