12 January 2007 00:00
E.ON UK invites local residents to find out more about proposals for new cleaner coal power units on the Hoo Peninsula

Local residents are being given another chance to find out more about E.ON UK’s proposals for two new high efficiency units at Kingsnorth Power Station, at a series of public exhibitions to be held later this month.

E.ON UK, the company that runs Powergen and one of the company’s biggest green generators, submitted a planning application for the new units to the Government and Medway Council in December, with a view to replacing the existing power station with two new 800MW ‘cleaner coal’ units.

The company has invited local people to one of three exhibitions to be held on the Hoo Peninsula, giving residents the opportunity to meet and talk directly to the project team.

Project Manager Adrian Smith and members of E.ON’s Community Liaison team will be on hand to answer any questions at the following dates and locations:

• Stoke Village Hall, Saturday, January 20, 10am to 4pm;
• Hoo Village Institute, Wednesday, January 24, 10am to 7pm;
• High Halstow Village Hall, Thursday, January 25, 10am to 7pm.
Adrian Smith said: “We held our first public exhibition back in November and were pleased with the level of interest shown and the favourable responses we had.

“Now we’ve submitted the planning application, we’re again keen to hear what people have to say about our proposals and answer any questions they may have.”

The new units will produce enough electricity for around 1.5m homes and would be fitted with state-of-the-art technologies to produce power from coal far more efficiently and cleanly than ever before in the UK.

If the project gets the green light, construction is expected to start early in 2008 with the first power being produced late in 2012.

For further information about the proposals visit
www.eon-uk.com/supercritical or call E.ON UK’s Community Liaison team on 0800 0198315.

Ends

Notes to editors:
• The planning application was submitted to the Department of Trade and Industry, Medway Council and other statutory consultees on Monday, 11 December;
• Statutory consultees include English Nature, Environment Agency, Medway Council, Kent Wildlife Trust, Kent County Council, Countryside Agency, English Heritage, RSPB, Medway Ports Authority and Hoo St Werburgh Parish Council;
• The existing station at Kingsnorth was commissioned in 1970 and is made up of four coal-fired units. These units have been opted out of the EU’s Large Combustion Plant Directive meaning that they must cease operation by the end of 2015.

For further information contact:
Emily Highmore on 024 7618 3680
Jonathan Smith on 024 7618 3676
ISDN line available on 024 7642 5147
A selection of E.ON UK images is available free of charge to the media by registering at www.newscast.co.uk. A high quality 3D animation of the new units on Beta SP is available to broadcast media. Stills from the animation are available to print media.

Media invite:
There will be the opportunity for interviews at the Hoo Village Institute on Wednesday 24th January. Please contact Emily Highmore for further information.