§ Lord Trefgarneasked Her Majesty's Government:
What proportion of United Kingdom coal-fired generating capacity is fitted with flue gas desulphurisation or other noxious emission control equipment; and what proposals exist for increasing this proportion.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Baroness Denton of Wakefield)In England and Wales, special burners to reduce emissions of oxides of nitrogen have been fitted to over 11 giga watts (GW) of capacity, as part of a programme to be completed by 1998 covering twelve of the major coal-fired power stations. Work is also in progress on the retrofitting of flue gas desulphurisation equipment to 6 giga watts (GW) of coal-fired capacity, with a first unit becoming operational during 1993. There are plans for the installation of such equipment to a further 2 giga watts (GW) of capacity. Current plans to retrofit will account for about 21 per cent. of current coal-fired capacity in the UK.
Separate arrangements are in force to control noxious emissions from power stations in Scotland and Northern Ireland, including plans to fit low nitrogen oxides burners.