The 53 MW plant, which won the approval of the UK’s Department of Energy and Climate Change on Thursday, will create around 200 jobs during construction and 135 during operation, powering around 55,000 homes per year.
“When it comes to big new power station projects, investors and communities need certainty. I am delighted that this project marks a new record for granting consent decisions,” said Charles Hendry, Minister of State for Energy.
“It has been a priority for this administration to remove the backlog in planning applications, to demonstrate our commitment to economic growth. A record number of decisions shows that we have delivered on this, helping ensure our long-term energy security and creating jobs,” he continued. “This new waste wood plant in Yorkshire will not only enhance our energy security and reduce waste wood to landfill; it will create an estimated 200 construction and 135 operational jobs and give a real boost to the local economy.”
The plant will consume an annual 360,000 metric tons of wood waste otherwise destined for landfill sites as Britain is among nations striving to meet European Union targets to derive a certain portion of their energy from renewable sources.
With the approval of the Dalkia project, the number of new power stations given consent in England and Wales this year has reached fifteen, the highest ever since the Electricity Act came into force in 1989.
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