AMBITIOUS plans to allow a coal-fired power station near Newport to run on renewable energy have been lodged with the city council.

The Uskmouth Power Station conversion project proposes to generate electricity from waste-derived fuel pellets, creating a ‘world first’ blueprint for other coal-fired power stations to follow.

The fuel pellets will be produced from non-recyclable waste which would otherwise end up being sent to landfill or which would be incinerated.

Proposals have been submitted to Newport council for works to facilitate the development, which include erecting silos, conveyors, a de-dusting plant and an extension to a rail unloading shed.

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A design and access statement says the scheme aims to “create a ‘world first’ in terms of a successful blueprint for the conversion of other coal fired power stations destined to be decommissioned to generate electricity through combustion of waste derived fuel pellets”.

“This project is expected to help the transition of the local economy and workforce in Newport from a historic reliance on coal to a new, sustainable future, whilst at the same time providing an economically viable alternative to landfill of waste and addressing the issue of non-recyclable plastics,” it says.

Works are also required to convert fuel combustion equipment inside the existing power station buildings.

But the outward appearance of the existing power station and exhaust stack would remain unchanged, according to planning documents.

“The visible difference will be new fuel storage silos connected to the existing plant with new and refurbished conveyors,” a design and access statement adds.

“The primary storage silos would be constructed on the previous coal storage area.

“The footprint of fuel pellet storage silos is smaller than that required for the external storage of coal. As a result, sections of the previous coal stockyard will be revegetated.”

The fuel pellets will be stored in four main storage silos which will hold up to around 10,000 tonnes of pellets.

They will be delivered by rail to an existing uploading facility which will be extended under the plans.

Four train deliveries will take place each day, with each carrying up to 1,000 tonnes of fuel pellets.

Residents and Nash Community Council have previously raised concerns over an increase in lorries to serve the scheme, but developers SIMEC Atlantis Energy say the scheme has been designed to “minimise traffic” by using previous access routes to the power station.