Representation by George Edward Nicholls
- Date submitted
- 19 January 2024
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I objected to the original application. I then objected to the application to reduce the stack height because of potential increased ground level toxicity. However, I do not object to this application, indeed support the proposal to make the operation more efficient. The current approval is for 49.9 MW. According to the submission documents it should be possible, through better efficiency, to achieve something between 60 and 65MW. This represents an increase of about 27.5%, which seems very desirable, especially as it is stated that this can be achieved from the current material import allowance, through more efficient use of the burners. However, it is your responsibility as the regulating authority to ensure: • no increase in traffic movements or timings (there have been no improvements in highway infrastructure, nor have the plans for the A120 improvement been progressed); • that the proposed efficiency will not result in more or different emissions which might impact on toxicity in the likely plume ground level receiving area (which, as I said with my previous objection, will be a more concentrated area as result of the lower stack height). • As a consequence of granting approval, assuming you so determine, the scheme will become a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project. You should consider whether this would make it easier for the operators to obtain variations to the operating restrictions. Or, to view it the other way, why did the applicants seek approval for 49.9MW if they were able to achieve a higher figure?