Consent was given today under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 to E.ON UK plc for the construction of a 1,220 MW Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) power station at Drakelow, South Derbyshire.

The station has also been given planning permission under section 90 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

As part of the Section 36 consent, Ministers have included a condition to ensure that carbon capture plant can be retrofitted should that be necessary in the future.

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Ministers have placed conditions in the Section 90 Direction, which have been agreed with the Local Planning Authority, that the company installs the necessary plant and pipeworks to ensure that the station can supply heat in the future, if the opportunity materialises.

Malcolm Wicks, Minister of State for Energy, said: "To secure our energy supplies, and power our homes it is important industry brings forward new energy infrastructure to maintain a diverse energy mix.

"In consenting to this project I felt it was important that the potential for utilising heat and capturing carbon emissions from the station is kept open, and the necessary equipment is installed."

Consent to build and operate power stations with a capacity greater than 50 megawatts (MW) is required under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989. Planning permission has been deemed to be granted under section 90(2) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

(GK/SP)