Drax, the UK's biggest coal fired power station, is to seek the government go-ahead to build a £2billion biomass power plant.
The energy generator confirmed it will petition the government for permission to construct the Ouse Renewable Energy Plant on land alongside the Drax Power Station, near Selby, Yorks, following a positive public consultation exercise.
Construction of the 300MW biomass-fuelled plant will create 850 jobs and once completed will generate enough electricity to power 530,000 homes.
Drax, which was the most modern coal-fired plant in Europe, says their proposed green scheme would burn about 1.4 million tonnes of biomass, locally grown crops and other renewable supplies each year, reducing CO² emissions by 1.85 million tonnes.
It would be water-cooled – using a link with the River Ouse – and provide a massive 15 percent of the UK's green energy.
Permission for the development needs to be given by the government's Department of Energy and Climate Change before being determined at a local level following consultations with Selby District Council, North Yorkshire County Council, the Environment Agency and Natural England.
Drax Power chief executive, Dorothy Thompson, explained: "Our venture into dedicated biomass-fired electricity generation underpins our commitment to reducing the carbon footprint of UK electricity production.
"Drax is an established part of the local community and we aim to be open and transparent in all that we do."
Mike Carver, Gloucestershire around 2 years, 9 months ago