Power station pair denied talks

Station manager David Leich and a colleague turned up 45 minutes late to discuss an ongoing £145 million investment with members of Brereton and Ravenhill Parish Council.

The council had invited representatives from International Power, which runs the station, to send someone to speak about the changes before the parish council meeting last week.

The pair blamed their delay on going to the wrong venue, but were immediately told their chance to speak had disappeared, because the parish council meeting had started.

Acting chairman Mary Easton apologised and said councillors had very much been looking forward to engaging with the pair over the future of the power station.

But she said they were too late according to parish rules and told them to come back another day.

The £145 million investment will see the release of 'clean gases' to cut sulphur dioxide emissions.

A chimney will be demolished and replaced with a new one 600ft high.

The investment will also help secure the jobs of the 160-strong workforce for another 25 years, Mr Leich said.

Work on the Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) project is on target to be complete by summer 2008.

The old chimney will then come down "inch by inch" in 2009 at the coal-fired station, which currently releases up to 17,000 tonnes of sulphur dioxide into the air annually.

Mr Leich said the project would employ 400 at its peak and help secure jobs at the station as well as cutting its effect on the environment.

The council is hoping to set up another meeting with the station's representatives.

Last month the firm reported a 60 per cent profits rise. Two thirds of its £450m European profit came from the UK.