UK court allows Drax gas power station appeal

Drax power station [credit: drax.com]

The climate-obsessed BBC frames this as a hard luck story for a charity. But for energy consumers it will be the biggest gas power station in Europe if/when built, providing on-demand power to help replace the many coal-fired plants closed in recent years.
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An environmental charity has lost a High Court challenge against a government decision to approve a new gas-fired power plant, reports BBC News.

ClientEarth had argued the decision did not take enough account of environmental targets at the Drax power station near Selby, North Yorkshire.

But the judge Mr Justice Holgate, said the targets were outweighed by other “public interest issues” involved.

The charity is now considering an appeal against the decision.

The court heard how ClientEarth opposed the construction of two new gas generation units and two battery storage units on environmental grounds.

However, Mr Justice Holgate said there were “other public interest issues which operate in favour of such development, such as its contribution to security and diversity of energy supply and the provision of support for the transition to a low carbon economy”.

In his ruling, he said: “Policy-making in this area involves the striking of a balance in which these and a great many other issues are assessed and weighed.

“This is carried on at a high strategic level and involves political judgment as to what is in the public interest.”

Continued here.