The minister gave formal consent to Drax Biomass (Selby) for a 299MW power station on land at the 4,000MW Drax Power Station site in Selby, North Yorkshire; and Drax Biomass (Immingham) for a 299MW power station at South Killingholme near Immingham.
Hendry said: ‘It is vital that we get investment in new power stations up and down the country to ensure secure energy supplies for people’s homes and businesses.’
According to the Department of Energy and Climate Change, the Ouse Renewable Energy Plant at Selby and the Heron Renewable Energy Plant at Immingham will each produce enough electricity for more than 500,000 homes.
During construction, both developments will employ around 600 people on site and have total workforces of around 150 when operational.
Drax has issued a cautious welcome to Hendry’s announcement. In a statement the company said: ‘Section 36 consent is a necessary part of the development process for any large (>50MW on-shore) power stations. The minister’s announcement confirms that part of the process is now complete.
‘However, any progress with the investment will be dependent on the government’s final decision on the future support levels under the Renewables Obligation.’
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