Cambois residents say no to new coal power
Nov 25 2008 by Dave Black, The Journal
CAMPAIGNERS staged a protest yesterday at the site of a new £2bn coal-fired power station planned in Northumberland – and declared it an official 'climate crime scene'.
Environmental activists and local villagers joined forces to stage the demonstration in Cambois, where RWE npower wants to build the clean coal generating plant close to where the old Blyth power station once stood.
Carrying banners saying No New Coal Power and with musical accompaniment from fiddles, whistles and drums, the Panic Stations group marched to the former power station site and sealed it off with police-style crime scene tape.
Panic Stations – which has been set up to oppose the RWE npower scheme – says building new coal-fired plants would be a huge backward step in the drive to tackle climate change.
The company says the Cambois plant will be much cleaner and more efficient than conventional power stations, will create 3,000 construction and 200 permanent jobs and provide a £15m boost to the local economy.
But Panic Stations says it is unacceptable for it to be built without special technology required to massively reduce harmful C02 emissions. Npower says the plant will be ‘carbon capture ready’, meaning the clean-up equipment can be retro-fitted when it has been tested and proved.
Yesterday’s protesters included Shelley Bland, 27, who lives in Northumberland and is a member of environmental pressure group Toon Climate Action. She took part in the demo with her two-year-old son Flynn. She said: “As well as this power station proposal, there are so many opencast coal sites planned around here. Once it starts, it is not going to stop, and it is not the answer to the climate crisis.”
Father John Blakesley, vicar of St Andrew’s Church in Cambois, said: “People in the village have lived for a long time with dirty and polluting industry and the thought of another coal-fired power station on their doorstep is not good for the future of the place.
“This is especially true with the new plans for sustainable housing development by Banks, which has the potential to make this a lovely seaside village.”
Dorothy O’Connor, who has lived in Cambois for two years and is secretary of the local community association, said: “I came here after the old power station had been demolished and am happy to live in a quiet coastal community. I am opposed to the idea of a new power station and there is no such thing as clean coal.”
Reay Charlton, head of operations development for RWE npower, said he had been ‘very encouraged’ by the local response to the proposed power station in Cambois during a year of meetings, exhibitions, newsletters and workshops.
“Modern coal stations produce around 20% less carbon dioxide than older ones and have state-of-the-art equipment designed to protect local air quality. Meanwhile, npower is right at the forefront of work on carbon capture and storage technology which could make a massive difference to emissions globally in the future.
“If we’re to keep the lights on when many older power stations close over the next few years, we still need some new coal-fired ones. It will also help keep prices down, whereas an over-reliance on gas could mean even higher bills.”
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