E.ON UK Submits Planning Application For Gas Storage Facility

E.ON UK has submitted a planning application to build underground gas storage facility in East Yorkshire.

Last year E.ON, the UK's largest integrated power and gas company, carried out geological investigations to confirm the area's suitability for the facility. The company has now lodged a planning application to build the proposed scheme on a site to the north of Aldbrough.

Dr Paul Golby, Chief Executive of E.ON UK, said: "There is an urgent need for more gas storage in the UK as production from the North Sea declines.

"As we have seen from the recent Energy Review, a diverse energy mix is vital to secure supplies, and gas storage has a vital role to play in ensuring we have enough gas for our customers and our power stations, so helping ensure the lights stay on and people's homes remain warm."

The proposed facility is expected to have total working gas capacity of 420 million standard cubic metres of gas. This is equivalent to the gas used by the whole of the UK on a cold winter's day.

The planning application has been submitted to East Riding of Yorkshire Council today and outlines the proposed project. It is hoped that a decision on the proposals will be reached by mid 2007.

"I was heartened by the Secretary of State's comments earlier last year outlining the national need for more gas storage and firmly believe that this scheme has a vital role to play in not only keeping gas flowing in the UK but also in helping to smooth out wholesale prices," said Dr Golby.

"Combined with our proposed £4bn investments in new, cleaner power stations and in renewables, this scheme shows that E.ON UK is at the forefront of the UK power industry and is helping change the way we look at energy."

If the scheme gets the green light, construction is expected to start late in 2007 with the first phase operational in 2010. All work is planned to be completed by 2013.

Work is currently underway at E.ON UK's Holford site in Cheshire which, once fully developed, will be able to store the equivalent to half of the gas used by the country on an average day. The facility is expected to have total working gas capacity of 165 million standard cubic metres of gas stored in eight caverns.

Find out more about
E.ON
E.ON UK
E.ON Renewables

Search for more E.ON News

Posted 16/01/07

Back