Progress on the future demolition of the colossal cooling towers at Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station has taken a step forward. "Prior notification" plans have suggested the demolition works of the two southernmost towers will take place before 2030 and "no earlier than 2025" ahead of the coal-fired power station's closure in September 2024.
The coal power station, which lies in the Rushcliffe borough, is one of the first sights many see on their way into Nottingham as they travel along the A453. It is set to be decommissioned in the next decade in line with Government policy.
Uniper, which runs the site, must meet its target of making power stations across Europe carbon neutral by 2035. The coal-fired station has played a considerable role in generating power for the country over the past five decades, construction having been completed in 1967 and the site commissioned in 1968.
Prior notification of the work has now been submitted, as Uniper awaits confirmation from Rushcliffe Borough Council's local planning authority before the demolition of cooling towers 2A and 4A are decommissioned and demolished. The work is expected to take between six and eight months.
Last month, people were urged to make their voices heard over a future project at the power station that could create thousands of jobs.
Residents in Rushcliffe and Broxtowe were asked to help inform the design of future communities in their areas, as part of a government pilot scheme. Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station is set to become a new industrial and business area, including a 'gigafactory' and hotel.
A supporting planning statement issued by Uniper read: "CTs 2A and 4A were selected into the scope for demolition because of their location and accessibility as well as economic, health, safety, security, and environmental drivers."
A Uniper spokesperson said: "The plans to develop an energy from waste facility at the Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station site – known as the East Midlands Energy Re-Generation (EMERGE) Centre, were granted planning permission by the Waste Planning Authority, Nottinghamshire County Council, in March 2022.
"As part of this planning approval, there is a condition in place, that requires the two southernmost cooling towers at the power station, to be demolished by the end of 2030. In order to meet this condition, approval must be given by the local planning authority, Rushcliffe Borough Council, for the proposed method of demolition of these two cooling towers and associated restoration of the area, before construction activities can begin for the EMERGE Centre.
"The construction works for the EMERGE Centre are expected to start in early 2024, with the facility expected to be operational in late 2026.
"Demolition works would take place after the power station has closed at the end of September 2024 once it has fulfilled its commitments under the capacity market, and once the cooling towers have been fully decommissioned."
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