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Ayrshire Power, the company proposing to develop a new multi-fuel power station with Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology at Hunterston, North Ayrshire, has today proposed an extension to the public consultation period on its planning application.
The move means that Ayrshire Power’s proposals for the new facility will now be available for public comment until 20th August 2010.
The consultation period on the plans, which were submitted to the Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit on 2nd June, was originally scheduled to end on 18th July.
Commenting on the move, Muir Miller, Project Director at Ayrshire Power, said:
“The planning application and the accompanying Environmental Statement are both extremely detailed and complex documents and for that reason we have taken the decision to extend the consultation period in order to give all the interested parties as much time as possible to review them.”
“The full Environmental Statement relating to our application is available online at http://www.ayrshirepower.co.uk. and can also be viewed during office hours at the Scottish Government Library, Saughton House, Broomhouse Drive, Edinburgh and at public libraries throughout the North Ayrshire area.”
Ayrshire Power also recently announced that it is to hold a series of consultation surgeries in Largs and Millport from 29th June to 1st July to allow members of the local community to put any questions they may have about the proposals to the Ayrshire Power team.
Muir Miller continued: “Consultation with the community in Ayrshire has been an integral part of our activity throughout the planning application process and we are keen to answer questions and hear the views of local people now that our proposals have been submitted to the Scottish Government.”
The design of the power station is based upon the implementation of demonstration scale CCS technology from start up in line with the latest UK and Scottish Government guidance. In addition to ultimately capturing 90% of the carbon dioxide produced by the plant, the latest supercritical power station technology will have significantly increased efficiency and so reduced coal consumption by up to 25% compared to existing conventional plants, thereby further reducing CO2 emissions.
If approved, it is estimated that the facility could meet the needs of up to 3 million homes.
The proposed development would also create a significant number of jobs in North Ayrshire, employing up to 1,600 people at the peak of construction and approximately 160 on an ongoing basis once the site is up and running.
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