Boston energy plant plans ‘lack depth’

Senior councillors are set to call for more information on funding and more consultation over a new 102MW power plant planned for the River Haven in Boston.

Boston Borough Council’s cabinet will be asked to give the final go-ahead to comments on the Boston Alternative Energy Facility made by the authority’s scrutiny committee, as well as add their own on Wednesday.

The facility, being created by Alternative Use Boston Projects Ltd, is proposed for a site at the Riverside Industrial Estate and will include the creation of a new wharf with berthing points for up to three ships.

It is adjacent to the Boston Biomass facility on the bank of The Haven, which is currently under construction.

It will generate 102 MW of electricity with 80 MW of this being exported to the National Grid, which it says is enough to power the equivalent of more than 185,000 homes.

The remainder will be used to power the facility.

Documents from the organisers say the plan will contribute to Government targets.

Plans showing some of the key sites around the new alternative energy site.

“Currently, around three million tonnes of RDF from the UK is sent abroad to generate energy in European facilities,” they say.

“The Boston Alternative Energy Facility will process approximately one million tonnes of RDF, allowing the UK to benefit from this resource through generating energy rather than lose it to continental Europe.”

The project is being classed as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project, which means it will go before the Secretary of State for a decision.

During a recent scrutiny meeting, members raised concerns over a lack of financial plans being available.

They called on the company to be more in-depth with their consultations, including approaching younger people such as sixth form pupils.

They also called for more information on how hazardous waste would be transported, routes through the town and pollution with one councillor suggesting a new link road be created.

Minutes from the meeting, set to go before the cabinet, said: “Members agreed the benefits of such a development for the town of Boston.

“They acknowledged the employment benefits it would create – both in construction and thereafter in on-going supply and maintenance.

“Consultation was agreed as being key for residents and they agreed that the additional requests for inclusion in the statement as identified, would reassure them that the scope of consultation was reasonable.”

They also asked for information on  funding streams for residents to  mitigate the impact of construction.