TABLE-UK power stations to close by end-2023 under new emissions law

By Reuters Staff

March 12 (Reuters) - European power plants face tighter pollution rules from the
beginning of 2016 as part of the European Union-wide Industrial Emissions Directive.
    At the start of this year, plant operators in the EU were required to inform the
relevant environmental regulator about which stations have chosen not to fit with
pollution-reducing technology to comply with the law under the so-called Limited
Life Derogation (LLD).
    Under the opt-out, plants can run without fitting further emissions-cutting
technology for a total of 17,500 hours starting Jan. 1, 2016 or to the end of 2023,
whichever comes first.
    The UK government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
has said UK generators which choose the LLD can reverse this decision up until Jan.
1, 2016.
    Below is a list of UK-based gas, power or combined heat and power (CHP) plants
which have chosen the LLD and may face closure:
    
 OPERATOR           PLANT NAME                                CAPACITY    FUEL TYPE
                                                              in MW       
 SSE                Uskmouth                                  240         Coal
 SSE                Ferrybridge 3&4                           980         Coal
 SSE                Peterhead Unit 2                          660         Gas
 RWE npower         Aberthaw                                  1,555       Coal
 RWE npower         Didcot B 5&6                              1,420       Gas
 RWE npower         Cheshire CHP                              58          CHP
 RWE npower         Conoco Phillips CHP                       58          CHP
 RWE npower         Grimsby CHP                               20          CHP
 RWE npower         Hythe CHP                                 53          CHP
 EDF Energy         Cottam                                    2,000       Coal
 EDF Energy         West Burton A                             2,000       Coal
 Eggborough Power   Eggborough                                2,000       Coal
 Lynemouth Power    Lynemouth                                 420         Coal
 Corby Power        Corby                                     350         Gas
 INEOS              INEOS Nitriles CHP                        75          CHP
 TOTAL                                                        11,889      
 Source: Reuters estimates of capacity, Defra ()
 *Excludes emergency backup stations, compressor stations, boilers and gas turbine
units

Breakingviews

Reuters Breakingviews is the world's leading source of agenda-setting financial insight. As the Reuters brand for financial commentary, we dissect the big business and economic stories as they break around the world every day. A global team of about 30 correspondents in New York, London, Hong Kong and other major cities provides expert analysis in real time.

Sign up for a free trial of our full service at https://www.breakingviews.com/trial and follow us on Twitter @Breakingviews and at www.breakingviews.com. All opinions expressed are those of the authors.