E.ON Benelux granted environmental permit for construction of new power station
Rotterdam, 1 November 2007 – The South Holland Provincial Authorities (DCMR) and the Netherlands Directorate for Public Works and Water Management have granted E.ON Benelux environmental permits for construction of a new 1,100 MW coal fired power station on the Maasvlakte. The licensing authorities made an in-depth study of E.ON’s plans and of the views submitted by civil-society organisations. The environmental permit marks an important step towards construction of the new power station. E.ON Benelux expects to receive the permit (based on the Nature Conservation Act) in a few weeks, and hopes to receive the building permit at the start of 2008.
The new power station is required to meet the ongoing rise in demand for sustainable, reliable and affordable energy – plus the need to replace older power stations. The past several years have seen a steady increase in power consumption, and this situation will be ongoing according to prognoses by the International Energy Agency (IEA). As yet, looking to the next several decades, sustainable, alternative generation methods will not yet be able to meet energy needs. E.ON backs the Dutch government’s decision whereby coal fired power stations will be needed to meet the community’s demand for sustainable, affordable and reliable energy supply.
The Netherlands government imposes stringent demands on the new coal fired power stations. E.ON’s planned power station belongs to a new generation; in significant areas this represents an improvement on current European power stations. The new unit operates at high temperatures and pressures enabling it to produce almost 20% more electricity per ton of coal than the current power stations. This also means almost 20% lower CO2 and other emissions per kilowatt hour. The new power station will also meet all existing measures to minimize emissions of SO2, NOx and fine dust. Given that the new power station can co-incinerate biomass it will also make an important contribution to realizing climate objectives. Studies are underway on potential to supply heat to industrial and home users in the vicinity. The unit will be equipped to trap CO2.
E.ON Benelux is taking the opportunity of the publication of the environmental permit to place a number of advertisements concerning the new power station. There is broad-based approval of Dutch government policy to permit construction of coal-fired power stations – and E.ON empathizes with this. The campaign also makes clear that E.ON is convinced that the new coal-fired power station will be sound and reliable – while at the same time meeting the community’s demand for sustainable, affordable and reliable energy. E.ON hopes and trusts that parties with differing views on providing energy in the Netherlands will use the campaign as an opportunity to launch a constructive dialogue.