Eye: Plans For Gas Powerplant At Airfield

7 May 2013, 06:00 | Updated: 7 May 2013, 06:16

A plan is being submitted for a £200m power station at Eye that could create hundreds of jobs and supply 400,000 homes.

Progress Power Ltd, a UK energy developer,are announcing their plans today to build a gas-fired power station at Eye Airfield in Suffolk.

They claim the proposed scheme will plough tens of millions of pounds into the local economy, support hundreds of jobs during construction and create up to 30 new full time jobs when operational.  I

Eye Airfield already hosts two wind turbines and the Eye chicken litter power plant, and has an area identified for development as an Energy Park.

Progress Power will engage with local communities before applying for consent to build the £200m power station.   The first phase of public exhibitions will be held at Eye Community Centre (Magdalen Street, Eye IP23 7AJ) on:

Friday, May 17th         -           12.00 noon till 5.30pm.

Saturday, May 18th      -           9.00am till 1.00pm.

At this initial exhibition, members of the Progress Power project team will explain how the proposals will be developed and how the consultation process is expected to evolve. As the project is at an early stage, there will be no drawings, artists’ impressions or models on display.

The proposed Progress Power plant will take gas from the nearby National Gas Transmission System and use it to produce electricity. This electricity will feed into the National Grid, which also runs very close to the site. The power station will produce up to 299 megawatts (MW) of electricity, enough to supply around 400,000 homes.

Progress Power’s Project Manager Chris McKerrow said: “This will be an ultra-modern and clean facility and a very significant investment in the local economy. We are determined that there should be as much local economic benefit as possible, not only during construction and commissioning which could take up to three years, but for many years thereafter.  This will be achieved through jobs created directly as well as indirectly in the various companies that will supply and support the power station in the future.

“The cost of the power station is in the region of £200m, and we anticipate that local companies and suppliers will benefit from the business opportunities that will arise. We are strongly committed to boosting the local economy and local employment where possible.”

 Chris McKerrow added: “Before applying for permission to build the plant we will hold an extensive informal and formal consultation process with Mid Suffolk District Council, Suffolk County Council and with people in local communities, as well as many organisations and other authorities that may have an interest. This is crucially important to us. We want to explain our plan in detail and take account of what people have to say.

“Information material will be distributed to households, businesses and other organisations within the local vicinity. The exhibition at Eye Community Centre is the first of several which will allow people the opportunity to see our plans, talk to the project team and give us feedback. All activity will be advertised in local media and on the project website.”

Subject to successful consultation and planning process and financing, the power station could enter commercial operation as early as 2018.