§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what factors were taken into account in his decision to grant licences to Ince and Richborough power stations to burn orimulsion; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. YeoThe recent authorisation by HMIP is a registration of the existing process under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, rather than approval to a new use of orimulsion. Richborough and Ince power stations are now under integrated pollution control as applied to other large power stations earlier this year.
At Richborough and Ince, the limits on the release of sulphur dioxide have been set to ensure that emissions will be no higher than if heavy fuel oil was being burnt.
All power station authorisations include limits on the release of the main pollutants, including sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides emitted to air. These limits for releases to air vary from station to station depending on its environmental circumstances and are based on the consideration of the national plan, which aims progressively to reduce such emissions over a number of years, critical load, and local air quality.
The authorisations also contain controls on releases to water which accommodate the requirements of the National Rivers Authority.
Plants are required to use BATNEEC—best available techniques not entailing excessive cost—in controlling releases, and authorisations require operators to provide an improvement plan to bring the station up to new plant standards. Unless PowerGen can demonstrate adequate reasons to the contrary, they will be expected to employ appropriate sulphur abatement techniques at Richborough and Ince by 1 April 1998. This is three years earlier than the normal objective for coal fired stations because of the economics of burning orimulsion.
HMIP is satisfied that there are no environmental grounds for refusing authorisation for full scale burning of orimulsion.