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Britain may need to rely on coal-fired generation beyond 2025, despite the government’s pledge to phase it out by then, the chief executive of Drax Power has told the Financial Times.
Andy Koss told the paper: “If sufficient new build is not coming through then the government will have to look again at whether 2025 is the right cut-off date. If no new plant is being built, then I think there is a role for Drax to keep running.”
In her energy ‘reset’ speech in November energy secretary, Amber Rudd, pledged to phase out all unabated coal-fired generation by 2025. The Longannet, Ferrybridge and Eggborough coal-fired plants are all set to close this spring, and last week SSE announced its intention to shut down three of the four units at its Fiddler’s Ferry plant around the same time.
Koss said the right incentives needed to be put in place for other fuels such as gas and biomass. He added that without changes National Grid could have difficulties keeping the lights on in the summer as well as the winter: “The economics suggest that very few, if any, coal plants will be running over the summer, especially with the new emissions directive.”
The European Union’s industrial emissions directive came into force at the beginning of the year, placing limits on the amount of nitrous oxides, sulphur oxides and dust that plants could emit.
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