E.ON UK Applies To Build New Supercritical Coal-fired Power Units

E.ON UK, the company that runs Powergen, has today submitted a scoping statement to statutory consultees(1) over its plans to build two new 800MW supercritical units at its Kingsnorth coal-fired power station in Kent.

The application is for what could be the UK's first highly efficient supercritical coal-fired units, which will reduce carbon emissions by almost two million tonnes a year compared to the existing units if built. The two 800MW units would be built next to the existing station, which has four units, and would be carbon capture ready.

The move is part of the company's commitment to reducing its carbon intensity(2) by 10% by 2012, compared with 2005. The new units will operate at an efficiency of 45% and above, compared to the existing units' efficiency of around 36%. E.ON UK has already reduced its carbon intensity by 20% since 1990.

Dr Paul Golby, Chief Executive of E.ON UK, said: "This proposal is another example of E.ON planning for tomorrow's energy today.

"It's only by looking at building new power projects such as this, together with new renewables, our clean coal station at Killingholme and our proposed gas-fired stations at Grain and Drakelow, that we can help ensure the UK's lights stay on for decades to come while also reducing our emissions.

"Alongside that, these new, highly efficient, coal-fired units offer the UK a diversity of supply which will mean we don't become overly reliant on a single fuel source for our power.

"This could also open a new chapter in cleaner coal generation in the UK because the supercritical units could reduce CO2 emissions by up to 1.8m tonnes(3) a year.

"If approved, Kingsnorth units 5 and 6 would also be built to be carbon capture ready, meaning that we could store carbon dioxide underground to ensure it's never released into the atmosphere.

"However, this further development would be dependent upon the development of new technology and the creation of a suitable long-term framework to make its deployment viable."

The new station, which would use direct cooling and so would have no cooling towers, would be capable of producing enough power for around 1.5m homes, roughly the same as the existing units. It would be built next to the existing four 485MW coal-fired units, which will cease operation and be demolished once the new units are fully operational and proven.

E.ON UK is also considering making the new units capable of burning biomass with coal, although that would be dependent on the continuation of the current framework for biomass co-firing.

They would also be fitted with a flue-gas desulphurisation plant, which removes sulphur dioxide and, with selective catalytic reduction, oxides of nitrogen. They could eventually be fitted with amine 'scrubbers' or other carbon capture technology to remove the CO2 before emission.

The new units would only start generating commercially once the existing units had ceased operation, which must be by the end of 2015 under the strictures of the EU's Large Combustion Plant Directive.

If feasible, the new station's carbon capture and storage equipment would be built on the site of the old units once demolished.

E.ON UK has already applied for S36 consent to build two new gas-fired power stations, at Drakelow in Derbyshire and at the Isle of Grain in Kent, and is conducting a feasibility study into building a clean coal power station at Killingholme in Lincolnshire.

In addition, as well as closing Kingsnorth by the end of 2015, the company is also ending production at another, older, coal-fired power station, at Ironbridge in Shropshire.

The company is currently building the UK's largest dedicated biomass power station at Lockerbie and has around 1,300MW of wind farm schemes in various stages of development. It has also recently created a marine arm to investigate the possibility of tidal and wave power.

As well as operational reductions, the company is looking to reduce its non-operational carbon footprint by making its buildings more energy efficient and is reviewing ways to reduce business mileage.

1 • Statutory consultees include English Nature, Environment Agency, Medway Council, Kent Wildlife Trust, Kent County Council, Countryside Agency, English Heritage, RSPB, Medway Ports Authority and Hoo St Werburgh Parish Council. The Environmental Assessment Scoping Statement has been sent to the DTI.
2 • Intensity is the amount of carbon, or CO2, emitted per unit of electricity (or useful product) generated.
3 • The reduction in carbon intensity is due to the increase in efficiency from the c. 36% of the existing units to the 45% and above expected from the two new supercritical units. A 1% improvement in efficiency gives an approximate 2% reduction in carbon intensity.

Find out more about
E.ON
E.ON UK

Search for more E.ON News

Posted 11/10/06

Back