PLANS to run a power station near Newport on renewable energy have been met with objections from residents, who say an increase in lorries to serve the scheme will have an ‘intolerable’ impact.

The company running Uskmouth Power Station has applied for an environmental permit to convert the coal-fired facility to use non-recyclable waste pellets, with the aim of generating clean power.

SIMEC Uskmouth Power Ltd has also lodged a scoping opinion - to assess the environmental impact of the scheme - as the plans move forward.

First announced in 2018, the £200-million conversion is intended to re-invent the power station, bringing it up-to-date and creating hundreds of jobs.

But details of the plans which have been lodged with Newport City Council have prompted concern from some residents and a community council.

The proposed conversion is planned to be undertaken over two phases, with the scheme refurbishing two combustion units.

The first is planned to be complete by 2022, generating 110MW of electrical power, and the second finished by 2024, taking the total to 220MW.

READ MORE:

A rail unloading facility, fuel storage silos and vessels for storage also form part of the plans.

However the number of HGV journeys required for deliveries in and out of the site will be 61 per day - which Nash Community Council says is “totally unacceptable”.

In its objection, the community council says “the impact on a small village, particularly the residents of Nash Road and West Nash Road will be intolerable”.

Fuel pellets will be delivered by rail - replicating the historic coal rail delivery - but deliveries of bio-fuel, flue gas reagents and removal of ash are to be made by heavy goods vehicles (HGVs).

A scoping report says the development intends to replicate methods used for deliveries to the coal-fired station which stopped operating in 2017.

It says the estimates for the number of HGV movements are based on a “worst case scenario”.

But objector Steve Roberts, of West Nash Road, says any benefits of the scheme “are likely to be negated by the wider costs and impacts.”

He says narrow lanes in the area are “not suitable” for HGVs, and that residents already have to deal with properties “shaking constantly” due to lorries passing.

Resident Katy Jones has also objected, warning the damage to wildlife and surrounding areas from pollution will be “catastrophic”.

Natural Resources Wales has opened a consultation on the company’s application to change its environmental permit, with details at naturalresourceswales.gov.uk