npower who we are Tilbury Power Station

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1 npower who we are npower who we are RWE npower, part of the RWE Group, is the leading UK energy company committed to conducting its business with a sense of responsibility for the environment, its customers and for the communities in which it works. RWE npower s retail business, npower, is the UK s largest energy supplier, with around 6.8 million residential and business customer accounts. RWE npower also operates and manages a flexible portfolio of coal, oil and gas-fired power stations in the UK, generating over 9,000 megawatts of electricity. RWE npower manages almost 2,000 megawatts of cogeneration (combined heat and power) plant. Used at major industrial sites and by other large consumers of energy, cogeneration uses heat created for industrial processes to generate electricity. In 2006 alone it is estimated that RWE npower s cogeneration saved 1.5million tonnes of CO2, compared to conventional generation. RWE npower intends to be a good neighbour and takes corporate responsibility extremely seriously. This means considering the social and environmental aspects of its operations, working to promote positive effects and taking effort to minimise any negative impacts. Responsible business practices are integral to everything RWE npower does, from purchasing fuel to servicing customers. npower renewables is one of the UK's leading renewable energy companies, dedicated to generating electricity using sustainable, environmentally-friendly resources. It has a wide ranging portfolio that includes more than 460 megawatts of onshore and offshore wind farms and hydroelectric plants. In addition, through the npower Juice Fund, the company is involved in research to harness the power of waves and tides - another source of clean, sustainable electricity generation. As demand for electricity increases in the UK, RWE npower is committed to investing in new energy infrastructure to ensure the lights never go out. This will help to reduce the UK s dependency on a single fuel type and to maintain a secure, sustainable and affordable electricity supply.

2 npower our history in Tilbury Tilbury power station has been in operation for over 50 years, during which time it has worked alongside the local community to provide electricity for millions of homes, significant investment into the local economy and support for hundreds of community projects. npower our history in Tilbury On Wednesday 26 September 1956 the first 60 megawatt generating unit at Tilbury A power station was fired up and linked to the National Grid. Although initially commissioned as a coalfired station, the boilers were converted to burn oil before coming into full commercial operation. Six generating units were built, the last coming on-stream in late Tilbury A was then able to produce 360 megawatts of power. Demand for electricity was growing fast. More power stations were needed to ensure continuity of supply to homes and industrial users. The space around the established Tilbury site made this an obvious choice for a new station and construction work began in Tilbury B joined the National Grid for the first time in March 1967 with the first of its four 350 mega-watt units becoming operational and the other units quickly followed. of peak demand. The redundant Tilbury A station boilers and turbine hall were demolished in 1999, and for a while the future of the whole site looked in doubt. However, recent changes to the nature of the UK s fuel supplies, means that Tilbury B is once again playing a crucial role in UK energy supply, generating more power than ever in its history. It has a total generating capability of more than 1,400 megawatts of electricity, which is enough power to meet the needs of some 1.4 million people equivalent to 80% of the total population of Essex. European legislation, (Large Combustion Plant Directive), now means that Tilbury must close by the end of RWE npower s plans for a new cleaner coal power station at Tilbury means that it would continue to play a crucial role in UK power generation and the economic success of the area, well into the 21st Century. By the end of the 1970s, Tilbury A was showing its age; overtaken by a new generation of more powerful and efficient coal and oil-fired stations. In 1981 it ceased to operate and was put in reserve. Meanwhile, Tilbury B entered a period of change that has continued to this day. Following the privatisation of the Central Electricity Generating Board, Tilbury Power Station became part of National Power and moved to operating only during the periods The original Tilbury

3 Tilbury power station in the future what we propose RWE npower has unveiled plans for a new state-of-the-art power station to replace its existing coal-fired facility in Tilbury. The new, cleaner coal power station would cost over 1 billion to build and if plans were approved could be ready for use by RWE npower has submitted an Environmental Scoping report to the DTI, which is an early stage in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process. An EIA is an extremely thorough investigation into the environmental and social impacts of a new power station, which will be used to ensure that any negative impacts are minimised. The scoping report indicates that the existing station would be replaced with two 800 megawatt high efficiency supercritical coal-fired units. The new units would have the capacity to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 22 per cent per unit of electricity generated, compared to existing coal fired stations. This would result in a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions of almost two million tonnes a year. The new plant would also include the latest Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) and Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) equipment to reduce sulphur and nitrogen oxide emissions to very low levels, again benefiting the environment. This is likely to require materials such as limestone to be delivered and gypsum to be removed. Effort will be taken to ensure that, where possible, the river is used for deliveries, rather than local roads. technology known as carbon capture and storage (CCS). CCS involves the capture of carbon dioxide, which can then be stored safely in rock formations instead of being released into the atmosphere. There are still many hurdles to clear on CCS, however, if RWE npower s proposals were approved, then Tilbury could become a centre of excellence for this new and exciting technology. The new station would be constructed within RWE npower s current site, with the intention for the existing station continuing to operate until the new units are generating energy. The proposed development highlights npower s long-term commitment to supporting Tilbury and the surrounding areas. The new station would bring a number of long-term benefits, including up to 1,000 jobs during construction, 150 permanent jobs at the station and lasting investment in the local economy. In total, the new power station could bring around 15 million into the local economy every year. However, before any firm proposals are developed, a comprehensive consultation programme will be conducted with local people and organisations. What we propose Tilbury s new power station would also be developed to include facilities for burning carbon neutral organic fuels known as biomass and would be designed to be ready for a new

4 A new power station why we propose it Tilbury plays a vital role in energy generation for South East England. With Tilbury set to close by 2015 and the UK facing a potential shortfall in energy generation in years to come, a new highly efficient station could play a vital role in energy supplies for years to come. European Legislation (Large Combustion Plant Directive) means that the current Tilbury Power Station is due to close by the end of 2015 along with a large number of other existing coal and oil plants. In addition, ageing nuclear plants will close in the years up to 2020 as they reach the end of their operational lives. Despite efforts to improve energy efficiency, demand for electricity will continue to increase in coming decades and it is vital that there is sufficient investment in new power stations to ensure that we can generate enough electricity and keep the lights on. Without this investment the UK could face a 35 gigawatt shortfall by Coal fired stations can help meet UK electricity needs, provided that the environmental impact can be managed effectively. The new generation of supercritical coal fired boilers will help address environmental considerations by delivering significant improvements in efficiency and reductions in carbon dioxide emissions, compared to current stations. power stations, RWE npower continues to invest heavily in renewable generation. As one of the largest developers and operators of renewables, npower believes it can meet current UK targets of supplying 20% of our electricity from renewable sources by However, at present renewable energy cannot meet the total UK demand, so the nation needs a diverse mix of generation including gas and coal, which reduces the UK s dependency on a single fuel type and helps to maintain a secure, sustainable and affordable electricity supply for years to come. Why we propose it In order to help overcome any power shortfall, RWE npower is proposing to replace Tilbury Power Station with a new, state-of-the-art station. If approved, this new station would have a generating capacity of approximately 1600 megawatts and would reduce CO2 emissions by 22 per cent per unit of electricity generated, compared to the existing station. At the same time as developing new, efficient

5 Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS) The new power station proposed for Tilbury would be significantly more efficient than the current generation of coal fired stations. RWE npower is determined to ensure that it is as environmentally sustainable as possible, so is investigating the possibility of new technology known as carbon capture and storage. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a proposed approach to helping prevent climate change by capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) from large sources, such as power plants, and storing it away safely in geological formations instead of releasing it into the atmosphere. It involves three stages: CO2 capture, transport and storage. CO2 capture CO2 capture can be applied to any large source, such as industrial plants and potentially to power stations, where CO2 can be separated from the flue gases. Currently, three main types of carbon capture are being developed for power station applications: post-combustion, pre-combustion, and oxyfuel combustion. CCS at Tilbury power station RWE npower is committed to investing in the future of UK electricity generation to ensure secure, sustainable and affordable power supply for millions of homes for decades to come. Tilbury power station is already making a contribution to the development of carbon capture and storage technology with a detailed feasibility study currently underway. There are still many hurdles to clear on CCS, but RWE npower is committed to further research and development to assess the next steps in this area, with Tilbury playing a role in the process. CO2 transport After capture, the CO2 must be transported to suitable storage sites. This could be done by pipeline or by tanker. Both methods use established commercial technology and are currently being used for transporting CO2 for other applications and for transporting natural gas. CO2 storage There are several potential options for storing captured CO2, the most viable is geological storage. This involves capturing CO2 and then injecting it into rock layers, possibly former oilfields, or saline aquifers. Using well-selected, designed and managed geological storage sites, it is estimated that CO2 could be trapped for millions of years. The CCS process Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS)

6 What a new power station could look like What a new power station could look like Power stations are inevitably large buildings because they have to house extensive machinery. However, RWE npower is committed to limiting the visual intrusion of any new power station that it may build. This includes giving careful consideration to the impact of the colour, location and height of all significant buildings. Where possible, the designs will be tailored to ensure that the effect on local communities is minimal. At Tilbury, in order to accommodate the latest technology that would deliver significant efficiency savings, the boiler houses and the chimneys of the station may be taller than the current station. Other than this, the station will occupy a similar area and have a similar layout to the current station and every effort will be taken to minimise visual intrusion. How Tilbury could look

7 Where the new station could be built Tilbury is an ideal location for a new power station, with the River Thames providing a route to deliver fuel and a source of water for cooling. The South East is also a major consumer of power and Tilbury is well placed to serve this need. Factors such as noise and visual intrusion must also be balanced with how the station would be best laid out to ensure efficient operation, including delivery of fuel, access to water supplies and disposal of waste. Current plans identify the new power station being constructed within the west/north-west of RWE npower s current site in Tilbury, which would allow the existing station to continue operating whilst the new units were being constructed. Much of the exsiting station infrastructure is already in place, including the coal jetty. This will help to reduce the construction period and the environmental impact of the build. However, exact proposals will not be drawn up until extensive community consultation and environmental investigations have taken place. This will help to ensure that the station is located in the right place. Where the new station could be built

8 How the new power station could affect the environment RWE npower is committed to limiting the impact of any new development on the environment. A new power station at Tilbury would be designed using state-of-the-art equipment to reduce emissions and careful consideration will be given to local wildlife. RWE npower has an outstanding record in protecting and enhancing the ecology of its power station sites the area around Tilbury is already home to vibrant habitats. In-depth studies into the environment of the site and how the new power station might affect the surrounding ecology, will continue to be a top priority. These would include a survey on protected species, such as newts, water voles, bats and badgers, as well as breeding and wintering birds and other reptiles. If plans were approved for the new power station, RWE npower would make every effort to cause as little disruption to the local environment and wildlife as possible. Whilst some wildlife would be affected, this would be kept to an absolute minimum, with important habitats and species being retained or relocated and re-established. The station would also include state of the art equipment to reduce emissions of sulphur oxides and nitrogen oxides. This is likely to require deliveries of limestone to be used in the processes, but again, the river would be used where possible. Waste from the power station would be kept to an absolute minimum, with the ash created by burning coal being recycled for use in the construction industry, whenever possible. Other by-products, such as gypsum would also be recycled. Affects on the local environment The new power station would also help to significantly reduce the impact on the wider environment, compared to the existing generation of coal fired power stations. It would be far more efficient, therefore burn less coal and emit less CO2. The station s location next to the Thames also means that deliveries of fuel and other materials can be made by ship, limiting road transport and helping the environment.

9 The Energy and Environment Centre Tilbury Energy and Environment Centre is a well used educational facility that provides children and community groups with a rare opportunity to study flourishing local wildlife and learn more about how electricity is generated. The centre is manned by dedicated staff who provide an engaging educational opportunity for children of all ages, as well as community groups. In 2006 more than 6,000 children visited the centre, where they could see interesting plants and animals first hand and be given a tour of the power station. The centre is very popular and is open all year round for pre-arranged visits by schools and community groups. The plans for a new power station include provision for a new and improved Energy and Environment Centre. This would be housed in a purpose built, ecologically friendly building that would provide improved teaching opportunities. A new centre would be accompanied by relocation of important habitats and species that could be affected by construction. This would ensure that species such as water voles and great silver diving beetles continue to flourish. The Energy and Environment Centre

10 How the new power station could affect the local community A new Tilbury could significantly benefit the local community, protecting existing jobs and providing a significant investment into the local economy. Every effort would also be taken to minimise any disruption that could be caused by construction and eventual operations. RWE npower has made a long-term commitment to Tilbury and the Thames Gateway area. Through links with local authorities, conservation groups and educational establishments, the new power station would continue to play an active role in the neighbouring community. Tilbury would continue to fund, sponsor and support local educational and environmental initiatives. Tilbury currently supports the award-winning Tilbury Riverside Project, Coalhouse Fort scheme, Thurrock Business Awards, local school visits and charity events. During operation of the new power station, it is proposed that fuel deliveries would be received by ship via the Tilbury jetty, as they are now, causing no additional disturbance. Noise would be minimised and any dust created by coal deliveries and ash disposal would be very carefully monitored and controlled to minimise any possible impact. Construction of a new power station is a major project, but every effort would be made to keep disruption to an absolute minimum. It is anticipated that the river would be used to transport construction materials whenever possible. However, road traffic associated with development of a new station would peak during the construction phase, but detailed transport plans would be put into place to limit congestion. Construction working hours would also be strictly limited to reduce the effects on local residents. Affects on the local community

11 Economic benefits Economic benefits A new power station is a major, long term investment, that would be of real benefit to the economy of the area. The high quality jobs provided would help to ensure that the economic success of the Thames Gateway continues and will indirectly support a range of other local services, including shops and restaurants. The current Tilbury employs approximately 260 staff and 100 contractors. An additional 1,000 contractors join the workforce during major maintenance works. The managers, professional engineers, technicians, operations and support staff who work at the station are all highly skilled. These valuable skills will be lost if the station is not replaced. The proposed new power station would create at least 1,000 new jobs during construction and then more for the demolition of the existing station. It would also sucure up to 150 permanent jobs at the new station, ranging from security, skilled operating and maintenance staff to professional engineering, environmental and management staff. Furthermore, with the population of Thurrock continuing to grow at more than twice the regional and national rate, the location of the proposed new station is well situated to supply electricity to a densely populated area of the UK, reducing losses in the transmission system. The new power station would cost over 1 billion to construct and would continue to provide more than 15 million of investment into the local economy every year, due to employment, and expenditure with local businesses and services. This would help to provide a solid basis for the continued economic success of the area.