§ Mr. IllsleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the objective of the review by the Environment Agency of regulations governing emissions from power stations is to ensure that the most efficient power stations and those fitted with flue gas desulphurisation plant are used to the maximum. [107983]
§ Mr. MeacherThe Environment Agency has carried out a review of Integrated Pollution Control authorisations for power stations not fitted with flue gas desulphurisation plant. If such installations were unable to present a good Best Available Techniques Not Entailing Excessive Cost justification for not using the abatement plant then they were authorised to operate at no more than a 40 per cent. load factor in 2001 and 2002. The next principal review of these authorisations is likely to be carried out in 2003–04. The objective of this review will be to secure a further reduction in the emissions of sulphur dioxide from coal fired power stations in 2004–05. One way to achieve this is to ensure the fullest use of Flue Gas Desulphurisation-equipped power stations. In addition, the review will consider how to avoid commercially disadvantaging power stations that are fitted with flue gas desulphurisation plant, and benefiting those without.
Statistics for UK Coal Fired Generation Plant 1998 to 2000 for Installations Operating with and without Flue Gas Desulphurisation Equipment (FGD) Year Measure Unit 19981 1999 2000 Total amount of coal burnt with FGD 000s of tonnes 12,838 11,396 11,540 Total amount of coal burnt without FGD 000s of tonnes 33,789 28,187 38,565 Total amount of SO2 emitted with FGD 000s of tonnes 135 54 45 Total amount of SO2 emitted without FGD 000s of tonnes 922 704 756 Average amount of SO2 emitted per gigawatt generated with FGD 000s of tonnes per GWh 4.09 1.79 1.48 Average amount of SO2 emitted per gigawatt generated without FGD 000s of tonnes per GWh 10.77 9.79 8.74 Average amount of SO2 per tonne of coal without FGD 0.011 0.005 0.004 Average amount of SO2 Per tonne of coal without FGD 0.027 0.025 0.020 1 The FGD plant at AES Drax was out of commission for much of the year