Seabank 3: Frequently Asked Questions

Transcription

1 Seabank 3: Frequently Asked Questions Update May 2014 Contents PROJECT AND SITE JUSTIFICATION What is Seabank 3? Who is SSE? Where is Seabank 3 located? Why is a new power station needed? Why has this site been selected for the proposed power station?... 4 OPERATION OF THE POWER STATION What is a combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power station? How much electricity will the power station generate? How does the electrical efficiency of a modern CCGT power station compare to other forms of generation? Has SSE considered opportunities for Combined Heat and Power? What is a peaking plant? Will there be any issues with supplying gas to the new power station? Is there potential for Seabank 3 to use shale gas? Is the development dependent on the Hinkley C connection project? What is carbon capture readiness? Will Seabank 3 have a carbon capture plant? What is proposed in terms of cooling technologies?... 8 NEIGHBOURING LAND USES How does the Seabank 3 project fit in with the development plans for the wider area? What will happen to Seabank 1&2? Are there any security or safety issues of having a number of power stations located close to one another? What will be the environmental impact of locating a number of power stations and other industrial developments in the same area? Is Seabank 3 proposed instead of Scottish Power s proposed Avon Power Station?...10 POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND COMMUNITY IMPACTS What are the main environmental effects likely to be? How will construction of the proposed development impact traffic?...11 Page 1 of 22

2 24. How will operation of the proposed development impact traffic? Will a Construction Traffic Management Plan be prepared? How will construction vehicles access the site? How will vehicles access the site when the power station is operational?...12 MANAGING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS How will the impacts of constructing the power station be managed? How will operation of the proposed power station be regulated? Will emissions from the exhaust stacks be safe? How will flood risk be managed? Will there be noise from the proposed development? What will the impacts be on wildlife?...15 EMPLOYMENT AND COMMUNITY BENEFITS How many people will the power station employ? Will there be any benefits to the local community?...16 APPEARANCE AND DESIGN OF THE PROPOSED POWER STATION What will the power station look like? What design elements is SSE considering? Why is SSE applying for design flexibility? What is the Design Code for the proposed power station? What are some potential design solutions for the power station? What are some potential design solutions for the peaking plant? What are the landscape and design objectives for the proposed development?...19 CONSTRUCTION When will construction start? How will Seabank 3 be constructed?...20 PLANNING APPLICATION AND CONSULTATION PROCESS What stage are the proposals at? Where can more about the Seabank 3 consultation be found? Has SSE set up a Community Liaison Group? How can feedback be provided? What happens next?...22 Page 2 of 22

3 PROJECT AND SITE JUSTIFICATION 1. What is Seabank 3? Seabank 3 is a gas fired power station that SSE is proposing to develop. It will be similar to the existing Seabank 1 & 2 power station and will be a combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power station. The proposed power station will be fuelled by natural gas supplied from the main national gas network through the existing pipelines that currently supply the Seabank 1 & 2 power station. The development will include several separate elements located within different areas of the Proposed Development Site. We are also proposing to install smaller gas-fired peaking plant on the site to meet short term peak demand on the national electricity grid. The proposed Seabank 3 power station will be capable of generating up to 1,400MW of electricity. Given the output of the proposed power station it is a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) and therefore SSE requires a Development Consent Order (DCO) from the Secretary of State under the Planning Act 2008 to develop it. 2. Who is SSE? SSE (formerly Scottish and Southern Energy) is one of the UK s leading energy companies and the largest non-nuclear electricity generator, operating a diverse generation portfolio across the UK and Ireland including generation from natural gas, oil, coal, biomass, hydropower and wind. The current power station at Seabank (Seabank 1 & 2) is operated by Seabank Power Ltd (SPL) of which SSE is a 50% stakeholder. More about SSE and our corporate objectives can be found on our main website: 3. Where is Seabank 3 located? The Proposed Development Site is located close to the existing Seabank 1 & 2 power station, approximately 5 kilometres northeast of Avonmouth and 10 kilometres from Bristol in an area called Crooks Marsh in Severnside. A site map can be found here: 4. Why is a new power station needed? The UK needs to develop new electricity generation capacity to improve national energy security and reduce carbon emissions associated with energy generation. The Government recognises the need for fossil fuel power generation in its Overarching National Policy Statement for Energy (EN-1). Natural gas plays an increasingly important role in the UK electricity generation mix. Generating electricity from natural gas: emits less carbon and is more efficient than other fossil fuels such as coal; provides vital flexibility to support the increasing amount of renewable energy generation in the UK; and results in substantially lower carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions per megawatt (MW) of electricity generated than other fossil fuels, therefore helping to deliver UK climate change targets. Page 3 of 22

4 5. Why has this site been selected for the proposed power station? The Seabank 3 site was selected due to its proximity to the existing Seabank 1 & 2 power stations. Located within an Enterprise Area surrounded by business and commercial operations the site is large enough to accommodate the buildings and structures required for a new gas fired power station and is available for development. The proposed Severnside site for Seabank 3 has direct access to essential infrastructure necessary for a gas-fired power station including connections to the gas the national gas and electricity grids; it can also share some services with the existing Seabank 1&2 power station. Locating the new power station close to the existing power station means there are opportunities to share existing gas and electricity connections and access to the site, meaning that that no new cross country gas pipeline or overhead power lines are required. Page 4 of 22

5 OPERATION OF THE POWER STATION 6. What is a combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power station? In a CCGT power station: Natural gas is used by the combustion system to drive the gas turbine which is connected to a generator producing electricity. Heat is recovered from the hot exhaust gases generated by the gas turbine in a heat recovery boiler. The heat recovery boiler uses this heat to generate steam to generate further electricity via a steam turbine. The steam leaving the steam turbine is then condensed and this water is returned to the process for reuse. Seabank 3 is expected to include two gas turbines and one or two steam turbines which will dictate if there are two or three electricity generators, depending on the final choice of technology. The diagram below illustrates the various inputs and outputs of the CCGT generation process. An additional peak generating plant is proposed in addition to the main generating plant. This peaking plant would provide supplementary electricity generating capacity in periods of high demand. This would consist of smaller open cycle units (no additional steam generation) that have the ability to start generating electricity very quickly and run for short durations. Page 5 of 22

6 7. How much electricity will the power station generate? Seabank 3 will have the capacity to produce up to 1,400 megawatts (MW) of electricity. It would therefore be capable of generating enough power to supply over three million UK homes per year (based on the industry average annual household energy consumption of 3,300 kilowatt hours of electricity). To put this in perspective, this output is equivalent to: generation from around 460 wind turbines; or a solar farm covering an area of 2,800 hectares; or nearly half the generation of the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station proposed by EDF. 8. How does the electrical efficiency of a modern CCGT power station compare to other forms of generation? Combined cycle gas turbines are some of the most efficient thermal power stations available. The use of the heat recovery steam generator allows waste heat from the exhaust of the gas turbine to be recovered for further electricity generation. Modern CCGTs can now reach a net thermal efficiency of up to 59%. Older CCGTs are less efficient at around 46-56%. For comparison, a typical coal-fired power station has a net efficiency of around 36-44% and a nuclear power station is around 42% efficient. 9. Has SSE considered opportunities for Combined Heat and Power? SSE is exploring opportunities to be able to export waste heat for use by third parties off site called Combined Heat and Power (CHP). In this way the thermal efficiency of the power station could be further increased. An evaluation of the potential for CHP is being conducted, with potential off-site users of the waste heat being identified and the logistics of delivering that heat to such users is being explored. Seabank 3 is currently intended to be used to top up existing capacity during peak demand. As a result it is considered unlikely that there would be demand for intermittent heat from local heat users and currently no potential users have been identified. 10. What is a peaking plant? A peaking plant, or fast response generator, provides supplementary electricity generating capacity in periods of high demand. In addition to the main generating units SSE is seeking the ability to install up to 240MW of gas-fired peaking plant at the site to meet short term peak demand on the national electricity grid. This will also have the capability to help restart (blackstart) the national transmission system in the event of a total or partial shutdown. See Question 42 for potential design elements of the peaking plant. 11. Will there be any issues with supplying gas to the new power station? The UK Government expects that gas will continue to play a major role in our electricity mix over the coming decades, alongside low-carbon technologies as we decarbonise our electricity system. 1 Modelling by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) suggests that up 1 UK Gov Gas Generation Strategy Dec Page 6 of 22

7 to 26,000 MW of new gas plant could be required by 2030 (in part to replace older coal, gas and nuclear plant as it retires from the system) and that we could need more gas capacity by 2030 than we have today. As part of its Gas Generation Strategy, the UK Government is working to put in place a number of measures to ensure that 1) there is adequate gas generation capacity available to maintain security of electricity supply, 2) there is sufficient flexible (gas) plant available to meet the intermittency associated with renewables to provide back-up energy particularly in times of peak demand and low renewable generation; and 3) the necessary gas supply infrastructure is in place to support the role of gas in generation. Our proposals for Seabank 3 are aimed to fit directly into this strategy. We propose to use the existing gas supply pipelines that serve the Seabank 1 & 2 power stations and run within the site along the southern boundary. To ensure system supply pressures can be maintained with the additional gas being supplied, some compressor upgrades will be required on the wider gas supply network and an assessment of how and where these upgrades will be carried out is being undertaken by National Grid (Gas). The route of the existing gas supply pipelines will have to be modified on the development site to facilitate the construction of Seabank 3 and some additional above ground gas reception facilities will be required to allow the gas supplies to be directed to each of the generating units. 12. Is there potential for Seabank 3 to use shale gas? The proposed power station will be fuelled by natural gas supplied from the main national gas network through the existing pipelines that currently supply the Seabank 1 & 2 power station (the national transmission system). Seabank 3 will use the blend of gas that is fed into the national transmission system. This is currently a mix of existing gas sources including gas from the North Sea; gas fed from Europe and liquefied natural gas (LNG) brought into the UK by ship. In the future this mix may include shale gas. Further information shale gas, please see the UK Government s Gas Generation Strategy document (Chapter 5): Is the development dependent on the Hinkley C connection project? Seabank 3 will connect to the grid at the existing Seabank 1 & 2 substation. The Hinkley C Connection Project currently proposes the connection of an additional 400kV circuit into Seabank 1 & 2 Substation for the network reinforcement required for the proposed Hinkley C nuclear power station. The additional capacity provided by this reinforcement work will provide the additional export capacity required for Seabank 3. The Hinkley reinforcement work will include the extension of the existing substation building and associated foundations and will accommodate the five new bays required for Seabank 3. The Hinkley Reinforcement works are subject to a separate DCO application by National Grid and completely independent of the Seabank 3 DCO Application. Page 7 of 22

8 14. What is carbon capture readiness? SSE is required by European Union Directive on the Geological Storage of Carbon Dioxide to demonstrate that the proposed power station is Carbon Capture Ready 2. Carbon Capture and Storage could significantly reduce the carbon footprint of a gas power station. It is an emerging technology that enables carbon dioxide produced by burning fossil fuels to be captured and permanently stored, removing up to 90% of the carbon dioxide that would otherwise be released to the atmosphere. 15. Will Seabank 3 have a carbon capture plant? As the technology for carbon capture is not yet fully developed, it could be implemented as an extension to the Seabank 3 project in the future but at this stage does not form part of this Development Consent Order application. The eastern area of the site has been reserved for the future siting of a carbon capture plant. If the technology is implemented on the site it is anticipated that the captured carbon dioxide would be removed for long term storage in deep geological formations such as depleted offshore oil and gas fields. The most likely method of transport to storage locations would be through underground and sub sea pipelines. The development of any carbon capture plant would be subject to a new DCO Application and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). 16. What is proposed in terms of cooling technologies? To minimise water consumption, the Proposed Development requires a cooling system to condense the steam used in the power generation process back to water so that it can be reused in the process. A hybrid cooling system, which utilises a mixture of both air and water to condense the steam, has been selected as the preferred method of cooling for the Proposed Development. Based on a review of the available cooling technologies and their associated benefits and potential environmental impacts the Environment Agency has agreed that this technology represents the use of Best Available Techniques (BAT) for the Proposed Development. The cooling system will comprise two banks of hybrid cooling cells up to 19m high that will be installed in the northwest of the Proposed Development Site. The water to be used in the cooling system will be supplied through a new underground water pipeline from Wessex Water s Bristol Waste Water Treatment Works. SSE is applying for permission for the proposed pipeline and is included as part of the DCO application. The pipeline will be approximately 4.5km long, 800mm (0.8m) in diameter and will be installed 1-2m below ground. The likely route of the proposed cooling water pipeline is shown by the purple hatching on the plan overleaf. 2 Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) (2009) Carbon Capture Readiness (CCR), A guidance note for Section 36 Electricity Act 1989 consent Applications Carbon_capture_readiness_-_guidance.pdf Page 8 of 22

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10 NEIGHBOURING LAND USES 17. How does the Seabank 3 project fit in with the development plans for the wider area? The site is located within the Avonmouth Severnside Enterprise Area, which is one of a select group of strategically important employment locations in the west of England. The majority of the Seabank 3 site is also allocated in the South Gloucestershire Council Local Plan as a major strategic location for comprehensive development based on employment uses. In addition, the South Gloucestershire Core Strategy allocates land at Severnside for the development of distribution and other extensive employment uses, including energy generation. Planning permission granted on 27 November 1957, which is applicable to the majority of the Seabank 3 site, gives planning approval for industrial development on approximately 1,000 acres (405 hectares) of land at Severnside. The proposed development of a power station is considered to be compatible with the context, plans and policies set out above for the development of the Avonmouth/Severnside area. 18. What will happen to Seabank 1&2? The existing plant at Seabank is not yet half way through its original design life and is expected to continue operation for a number of years to come. The existing site is operated as a Joint Venture with SSE buying 100% of the output from the site on a long term Power Purchase Agreement. Seabank 1 & 2 continues to be one of the most efficient power plants in the UK. 19. Are there any security or safety issues of having a number of power stations located close to one another? It is not anticipated there would be any additional security or safety issues with having a number of power stations in close proximity to each other. 20. What will be the environmental impact of locating a number of power stations and other industrial developments in the same area? The potential environmental impacts of the proposed power station have been considered in conjunction with the potential impacts from other existing or planned projects or activities in the Severnside area, that are located close to the Seabank 3 site and the assessment of these potential cumulative impacts can be found in the Preliminary Environmental Information report which can be downloaded from the project website The conclusion from these assessments shows there are no significant cumulative effects from the proposed development being operated in conjunction with the other known developments in the area. 21. Is Seabank 3 proposed instead of Scottish Power s proposed Avon Power Station? The Seabank 3 project is being proposed by SSE and is not linked to Scottish Power s Avon Power Station. Scottish Power has not yet submitted a Development Consent Order application for the proposed Avon Power Station. The last known consultation regarding the Avon Power Station project was during summer Page 10 of 22

11 POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND COMMUNITY IMPACTS 22. What are the main environmental effects likely to be? We are currently assessing the impact of the proposed power station in relation to the following environmental effects: Air Quality; Noise and Vibration; Ecology and Habitats Regulations Assessment; Flood Risk and Water Resources; Geology and Land Contamination; Archaeology and Cultural Heritage; Traffic and Transport; Landuse and Socio-Economics; Landscape and Visual Impact; and Sustainability and Climate Change. The outcome of these assessments will inform the development of our design to minimise the environmental impact of the project. We have prepared a Preliminary Environmental Information report which contains an overview of the preliminary environmental impacts, the report (including a Non-Technical Summary (NTS)) can be found on the project website at: We will finalise our assessments and mitigation of environmental impacts prior to submitting our DCO application and this information will be presented in the form of an Environmental Statement submitted. 23. How will construction of the proposed development impact traffic? The majority of vehicle movements associated with the Seabank 3 power station will be during its construction. The construction period is expected to last approximately 4 ½ years and will be split into two phases: Phase one: enabling works and site preparation; and Phase two: construction of the power station and associated infrastructure. Construction of the proposed development will create new employment opportunities and we expect there will be a peak of 800 workers during peak activities and an average of 400 over the entire construction period. At the peak this may result in 1,171 additional two-way movements per day in staff accessing the site. Vehicles visiting and leaving the site would consist of Heavy Goods Vehicles, Light Goods Vehicles and cars for construction employees. The effect of this level of traffic on the local roads has been evaluated as part of the environmental impact assessment and initial findings conclude there are no predicted significant transport or access effects from the proposed development and the assessment carried out demonstrates that the surrounding road network has the capacity to absorb the additional vehicle movements as a result of the Proposed Development. Traffic information is presented in detail in the Preliminary Environmental Information report which can be found on the project website at: Page 11 of 22

12 24. How will operation of the proposed development impact traffic? During operation, vehicle movements to and from the power station would mainly be associated with people working on site. The operation of the site is estimated to require up to 40 workers on site over three 8-hour shifts, seven days a week. That equates to approximately 13 staff on site at any given time. If each worker travelled to the site individually and by car, this would only result in a maximum of 80 two-way movements over a 24-hour period. The natural gas fuel will arrive via an existing pipeline and will not require an additional road trips. 25. Will a Construction Traffic Management Plan be prepared? We will prepare a draft Construction Traffic Management Plan to submit with our DCO application. It will include: what measures we intend to put in place to ensure that construction vehicles access the site by the correct routes and do so safely; what measures we will put in place to restrict the number of construction vehicles deliveries during the busiest periods on the road network (morning and afternoon rush hours ); and what measures we intend to put in place to minimise the impact of construction workers going to and leaving the site. 26. How will construction vehicles access the site? There would be three possible access points to the Seabank 3 site for vehicles during construction. These would be via: an access point along the northern edge of the site off of the new access road (which Severnside Distribution Land Ltd. are developing). This will form the main site entrance following the completion of site construction; an access point on the western edge of the site (connecting to the new spine access road); an access at the eastern end of the site onto the carbon capture land area where the main construction carparking, contractor site officesand consurtcution laydown areas will be located; the existing access road along Ableton Lane / Minor s Lane, will be maintained for emergency access only. Routes taken by construction vehicles would, as far as possible, avoid passing through residential areas to reduce the likelihood of nuisance from traffic, noise and vibration. In developing our proposals further, we will discuss suitable routes for construction vehicles with the relevant local highway authorities at South Gloucestershire Council and Bristol City Council and put together a detailed traffic management plan for the construction phase in order to minimise congestion and inconvenience local residents and businesses. 27. How will vehicles access the site when the power station is operational? It is anticipated that, during operation, the Seabank 3 site would primarily be accessed via an entrance on the northern edge of the site, which would connect to a proposed new access road. This new access road would link the adjacent proposed SITA Severnside Energy Recovery Centre with the A403 (via a new roundabout to be constructed on the A403). Severnside Distribution Land Ltd. intends to construct the new access road as part of its wider development Page 12 of 22

13 plans in the area and therefore the new access road is not part of the development application for Seabank 3. Other access points to the site may also be provided through the north western edge of the site (also connecting to the new access road); via the existing site access from the south, and through the eastern edge of the site from an existing roundabout that will connect to the new access road. Emergency access to the site will be maintained along Ableton Lane/Minor s Lane. Direct access to the site may also be available from the Seabank 1 & 2 site, via an entrance in the northwest corner of the site. Page 13 of 22

14 MANAGING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS 28. How will the impacts of constructing the power station be managed? A Construction Method Statement and Construction Environmental Management Plan will be prepared for the construction phase of the Seabank 3 project. These documents will collate the commitments made in the environmental reports submitted as part of the DCO application and describe construction methods and specific measures to be followed to reduce potential impacts from: use of land for the storage of construction materials and facilities for construction workers, etc. It is currently anticipated that a portion of the eastern half of the site reserved for Carbon Capture and Storage would be used for this purpose; construction traffic (including parking and access requirements) and changes to access and temporary road or footpath closure (if required); noise and vibration; diversion of utilities; generation of dust; removal of soil from the site; and waste generated on site during construction. Contractors working on the site will be required to follow a Construction Method Statement and Construction Environmental Management Plan. Contracts with the companies involved in the construction works will incorporate environmental control, health and safety regulations, and current best practice guidance. 29. How will operation of the proposed power station be regulated? An Environmental Permit will be required to operate the proposed power station. The Environment Agency is the government agency that will be responsible for issuing the required Environmental Permit. An Environmental Permit will only be issued if the Environment Agency is satisfied that the power station will be operated and maintained to meet stringent regulations, so that human health and the environment are protected. The proposed power station is being designed to meet all necessary air pollution regulations and emissions will be monitored continuously to ensure that it is operated within defined limits set down in the Environmental Permit. 30. Will emissions from the exhaust stacks be safe? The power plant we be designed to ensure all emissions are maintained within safe operating levels. The plant will be designed to comply with the requirements of the European Union Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) and in accordance with other Environment Agency guidance. Emissions will be monitored continuously to ensure that it is operated within the defined limits set down in the Environmental Permit. The air quality assessment included within the Preliminary Environmental Information Report (PEIR) (Chapter 11) demonstrates that the effect of the facility is predicted to be imperceptible and of negligible significance, both at locations where people are regularly present and to the local ecology. The PEIR is available on the project website at: Page 14 of 22

15 31. How will flood risk be managed? The Seabank 3 site lies within an area known to be at risk of flooding. Previous assessments of the site have shown that the principal flood risk is from the Red Rhine, solely or in conjunction with tidal influences from the Severn Estuary. A third party, Severnside Distribution Land Ltd, is currently realigning and widening the Red Rhine, which will reduce this risk. Based on the guidance from the Environment Agency, the greatest risk to the site from flooding is predicted to be a 1 in 200 year tidal flood event that overtops the sea defences and inundates the Severnside area this is an infrequent event, but the Environment Agency now requires new developments to plan for such situations. Computer modelling has identified a need to raise the site by up to an average 2.0m in order to mitigate for risk of flooding. In order to allow the final Contractor greater flexibility, the final ground levels may be raised by more than this, by an average 2.2m across the Site. The raising of ground levels during the construction phase will reduce the flood risk posed to the Proposed Development. To minimise the impact of the proposed development on flood risk elsewhere, surface water runoff will be diverted to new ponds on the site that will be sized to achieve the current greenfield runoff rates, before being discharged to the Red Rhine and Severn Estuary. The flood risk assessment is included as part of the Preliminary Environmental Information Report, which is available on the project website: Will there be noise from the proposed development? An assessment of the predicted noise impact of the proposed development at locations at the closest noise sensitive properties in different directions from the proposed development site has been undertaken. Details of this assessment and its conclusions are included in the Preliminary Environmental Information Report available on the project website at: The assessment concludes that the proposed development would have a negligible noise impact at residential properties during both construction and operation. 33. What will the impacts be on wildlife? A number of ecological surveys have been undertaken to inform an assessment of the impact of the proposed development on ecology. The initial assessment outcomes are included in the Preliminary Environmental Information Report available on the project website at: and indicate that most effects are expected to be small and not significant. The proposed development will include a landscape scheme that will take opportunities to reduce the potential impacts of the proposed power station upon the local wildlife and to enhance the habitat of the site. Page 15 of 22

16 EMPLOYMENT AND COMMUNITY BENEFITS 34. How many people will the power station employ? To operate the power station it is expected that there will be a workforce of up to 40 people working shifts spread over a 24-hour period, seven days a week. A peak of 800 contractors are expected to be employed during construction with an average of over 400 during over the 36 month construction period. Should Seabank 3 be consented, we are committed to maximising local opportunities both directly and through the supply chain (for example, through holding Meet the Buyer events). If you would like to register your interest initially, please do us at: seabank3consultation@sse.com. 35. Will there be any benefits to the local community? As well as being a source of affordable, secure and clean electricity supplied for up to three million homes, the new plant will create a range of benefits to the local community including: With an average of over 400 contractors being required during the construction of the plant, over 800 contractors will be working on the site at its peak; Additional contracting opportunities will be available for local businesses and suppliers including accommodation providers and retailers creating a significant contribution to the local economy; Up to an estimated 40 permanent skilled jobs will be employed in operating the plant during its lifetime; During its operation, Seabank 3 will require ongoing external service contracts; and A new public footpath, cyclepath and bridleway will be provided connecting Ableton Lane to the existing roundabout to the east of the Proposed Development Site. Page 16 of 22

17 APPEARANCE AND DESIGN OF THE PROPOSED POWER STATION 36. What will the power station look like? The proposed development will comprise two main boilerhouse buildings up to 45m high, either one or two turbine hall buildings up to 33m high and two main exhaust stacks up to 90m high. A separate Peaking Plant is proposed, with two further stacks up to 45m tall. There will be a number of ancillary structures of a lower height than the main buildings to accommodate, for example, gas and electricity grid connections, cooling system, workshops and offices. A detailed design will not be finalised until after the DCO is determined, however, 3D images providing some initial visual impressions of what the power station might look like are included in the public exhibition material, the Interim Landscape and Design Statement and within the the Maps, Plans and Visualisations document, which are available on the project website at: What design elements is SSE considering? SSE is developing a landscape and design strategy for Seabank 3. SSE requires a degree of flexibility in the final design and layout of the proposed development as it will not be deciding on the exact model of generating equipment that will be housed within the main power station buildings until nearer the time of construction. However, we can comit to some key elements of the design at this stage,including : the location of the main buildings of the proposed development within the wider site; the orientation of the main buildings; maximum and minimum dimensions (height, length, width) of the main buildings and plant; and a Design Code which will specify key parameters that the final design will comply with. The final designs will need to be approved by South Gloucestershire Council prior to construction. Examples of what the design may include are shown in the public exhibition material, the Interim Landscape and Design Statement and within the the Maps, Plans and Visualisations document which are available on the project website at: Why is SSE applying for design flexibility? SSE requires a degree of flexibility in the final design and layout of the proposed development as it will not be deciding on the exact model of generating equipment that will be housed within the main power station buildings until nearer the time of construction. This will enable SSE to ensure that it is able to utilise the best, most efficient and up-to-date technology within the power station, including models of generating equipment that may not currently be available. Different models of generating equipment would require buildings to be of different sizes and would require some differences in the layout of the proposed development. The final design of the proposed development would therefore be better tailored to the requirements set by the generating equipment if it is prepared after the DCO application is determined and the model of generating equipment is selected. Page 17 of 22

18 It is intended that the DCO application will therefore not be made on the basis of a final fully detailed layout and design. Instead, the DCO will set specific parameters for the proposed development, which will not be exceeded, including: specified areas within which the components of the proposed development will be located, maximum sizes for the buildings, which the development will not be able to exceed, and a design code in accordance with which the final architectural design will be developed. 39. What is the Design Code for the proposed power station? A Design Code is being prepared to set-out the deign parameters that SSE will commit to at the time of the DCO application for the Proposed Development. SSE is seeking feedback on the key elements of the draft Design Code set out below: To help the tall larger buildings blend in with the landscape and skyline and limit the visual prominence of the power station from long distance views these structures will be designed relatively simpley and will include a flat roofline with clean edges, avoiding shadow lines where possible. The external finish of the main CCGT Generating Station buildings will be neutral in colour pallet, for example greys, blues, browns and/or greens. The external finish between the lower and upper part of the buildings will be different, with the upper sections being kept relatively plain and of a lighter colour tone to the lower sections. This will help to visually break up the building, reduce the impact of the height of the building and, along with landscape screening, break up views of the lower levels of the building. We are considering the use of green or brown roofs on several of the smaller buildings (for example the peaking plant building, workshop/store building and the admin/control building), unless this is not practicable for engineering or operational reasons. Following Stage 2 consultation and further liaison with stakeholders, including South Gloucestershire Council, we aim to further develop and refine these design commitments. Further information on design and a draft Design Code is included in the Interim Landscape and Design Statement, available on the project website at: What are some potential design solutions for the power station? Examples of designs that could be developed in accordance with the draft Design Code are available to view within the Interim Landscape and Design Statement and within the the Maps, Plans and Visualisations document which are available on the project website at: Each of the example potental designs incorporates simple main buildings with flat roofs and neutral colours at the higher levels to reduce the prominance and perception of height, helping the buildings to merge into the landscape and skyline. 41. What are some potential design solutions for the peaking plant? Peaking Plant is also included as part of the Proposed Development. There are two main design alternatives for the structures associated with the Peaking Plant. Page 18 of 22

19 The first alternative is for an open structure with generating units not housed within buildings. This would require smaller footprint and lower height and enable the use of more of the site area surrounding the Peaking Plant for landscaping. The second alternative is for all the Peaking Plant to be within buildings. This would allow us to design buildings around the Peaking Plant to be consistent with those of the main CCGT, but there would be correspondingly less scope for landscaping as the buildings would take up more space than required for plant capable of an open configuration. Indicative visualisations of the two styles of Peaking Plant are included in the Maps, Plans and Visualisations document which are available on the project website at: What are the landscape and design objectives for the proposed development? The following key landscape and design objectives for the Proposed Development have been identified and are based on analysis of the site and its context in the area, including nearby buildings (existing and under construction) and the landscape character of the wider area. Our landscape and design objectives include: Integrate the site into the existing industrial landscape of Severnside and wider landscape character of Pilning Levels; Break up the scale of the buildings as viewed from nearby Public Rights of Way and access roads; Filter views of the lower level site operations and free-standing equipment and plant from further away from the site and in particular from the views from the higher ground to the south and east; Establish a native vegetated setting for the Proposed Development; Promote opportunities for habitat enhancement through natural regeneration of vegetation; and Improve the connectivity of local footpaths and cycleways around the site linking. The DCO application for the Proposed Development will incorporate information about SSE s proposed landscape strategy for the proposed development. It is likely that the DCO will require landscaping proposals to be approved by South Gloucestershire Council before construction of the development commences. Further information on the landscape and design objectives is included in the Landscape and Design Statement, available on the project website at: Page 19 of 22

20 CONSTRUCTION 43. When will construction start? We cannot be certain at this point about which year construction will begin as this depends on the outcome of the DCO application process and other commercial decisions. However, subject to consenting and investment, construction of Seabank 3 could begin in 2016 and the power station could be operational by How will Seabank 3 be constructed? Construction of the new proposed power station will be based on two phases: 1. Phase one: enabling works and site preparation this will include site access; raising the level of the site by approximately 2 metres for flood protection and diversion of existing services such as overhead electricity lines 3, and underground gas mains. 2. Phase two: construction of the power station and associated infrastructure including the cooling water pipeline to Bristol Waste Water Treatment Works, site accesses, electrical connection and landscaping. The total period for enabling works, site preparation and construction is anticipated to last approximately 4½ years. It is anticipated that the core working hours for construction will be as follows: 07:00 19:00 hours weekdays; 07:00 13:00 hours Saturday; and There may be circumstances when we need to work outside these hours up to 24 hours per day and on Sundays and Bank holidays. Should this need arise at any stage we will provide information to the public and fully comply with any relevant restrictions regarding control of noise and traffic. 3 Note: this does not include the existing 400kV and 132kV power lines crossing the carbon capture land forming part of the development site which will remain in-situ Page 20 of 22

21 PLANNING APPLICATION AND CONSULTATION PROCESS 45. What stage are the proposals at? Seabank 3 is what is known as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project and therefore requires a Development Consent Order (DCO) before it can be built. Further information on the planning process can be found at The consenting process is front-loaded meaning that we are undertaking consultation at the pre-application stage, so we can identify and take account of local issues and concerns. The project is currently in the pre-application stage and we are in the process of undertaking Stage Two consultation as shown below: 46. Where can more about the Seabank 3 consultation be found? Further information on our proposals including the proposed consultation process is on our project website Details of our consultation is available in our Statement of Community Consultation (SoCC), which can be found on our website: Has SSE set up a Community Liaison Group? SSE has established a Community Liaison Group to ensure open communications as the project progresses. The first Community Liaison Group meeting took place on 25 February 2014 with a second meeting held on 25 March The group will continue to meet regularly until submission of the Development Consent Order application to provide an on-going link to the local community and a means through which local concerns can be presented directly to the project team. The aim of the liaison group is to encourage discussion between local community representatives and the project team relating to the consenting, construction and operation of the Seabank 3 Power Station. Page 21 of 22

22 48. How can feedback be provided? We are keen to hear your views on our proposals for Seabank 3. You can provide your feedback on our proposals by: Filling in a comments form and putting it in the box provided at one of our public information events held in May 2014; Sending your feedback form to our project address: FREEPOST SEABANK 3 CONSULTATION; ing: seabank3consultation@sse.com; Downloading a comments form from our website fill in and return it by post or ; or Calling the project freephone number and leaving a message. Please let us know your views by Monday 23 June What happens next? Once the Stage Two consultation period ends, we will review all comments received and take these into account when preparing our application for a Development Consent Order. The next stage in the consultation and consenting process will be to submit our application for a Development Consent Order to the Planning Inspectorate, the Government Agency responsible for examining DCO applications. This is expected to be in late 2014/early During the examination process, which will take place through 2015, representations from interested parties can be made directly to the planning inspectorate. We will continue to communicate with and welcome feedback from the community through: newsletters, our website; and the Community Liaison Group. Page 22 of 22