RE: Planning Application Statement20 May 2021 12:05
For those unable to access the link here's the trancript:
Uskmouth conversion plans dealt further blows
Developer of what would be the world’s first coal-to-waste plant says it will release a planning statement “imminently” after two setbacks hit the project
?The Uskmouth conversion project
A project to create what would be the world’s first conversion of a coal-fired plant to process waste at the Uskmouth power station in Wales has run into difficulties.
Firstly, ENDS can reveal the Welsh government has confirmed that its newly introduced moratorium on new energy-from-waste plants, first announced in March, will now have to be taken into account by planning authorities currently deciding on the project. Secondly, a major shareholder in the company behind the project has run into financial difficulties. Yesterday in an announcement to the London Stock Exchange the project’s developer, Simec Atlantis Energy (SAE), revealed that SIMEC UK Energy Holdings Limited (SUEH) have appointed receivers.
SAE told ENDS it could not comment further on either issue, but confirmed it was due to issue a statement “imminently” as part of its planning application for work related to the conversion being called in by the Welsh government. The call happened at the same time that the government placed an immediate moratorium on new energy-from-waste capacity above 10MWe.
Yesterday a Welsh government spokesperson, who could not comment previously owing to the pre-election period, told ENDS: “The moratorium came into immediate effect when it was introduced in March this year and now needs to be taken into account by relevant planning authorities when determining planning applications for energy from waste plants, including those currently under consideration.”
The other issue facing the project has been brewing for a while. SUEH, which is part of the GFG Alliance group, owns “approximately 43%” of the issued share capital of SAE. But in March, GFG was embroiled in controversy over a series of loans with lender Greensill.
According to the latest stock exchange announcement, the GFG Alliance has informed SAE it intends to challenge the validity of the appointment and is “seeking appropriate advice”.
It continues: “For the avoidance of doubt, SAE wishes to make clear that the above process relates to its major shareholder, SUEH and not to SAE itself. The GFG Alliance has also informed SAE that it wishes to make clear that SUEH is a holding company for the investment in SAE and the appointment of the receivers does not extend to the rest of the SIMEC group or other members of the GFG Alliance.”
Jurisdiction for the Uskmouth planning application is currently with the Planning Inspectorate until it is recovered for determination by the Welsh ministers, the Welsh government also confirmed.
The confirmation the moratorium includes projects already in the planning systems, also means four other EfW projects could face tougher planning hurdles.
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