The Milford Haven Waterway and adjoining coast are one of the most important marine environments in Europe. It has Special Area of Conservation (SAC) because most of the features of the SAC that qualify for protection are in an “unfavourable condition”.

Pictured are Jill Evans MEP, Gordon James and the EC representative in Wales, Andy Klom with the 500 page complaint written by environmental barrister, Peter Roderick

FoE Cymru, in a process initiated by Pembrokeshire FoE, has lodged a complaint with the European Commission that the UK authorities are not properly applying the law to protect this area. This situation would be made worse by the new LNG-fired power station at Pembroke.

Over half the energy in the LNG would be wasted as the power station, operating at 55% efficiency, would burn gas that has already needed a significant amount of energy to liquefy it for shipping and then to re-gasify for use in the UK. The waste heat from the power station would be sufficient to heat well over half a million homes.

The power station would abstract cooling water equivalent to three times the average flow of the two rivers Cleddau into the estuary, and discharge it at 8C higher temperature back into the Haven. In the USA, such cooling systems are regarded as unacceptable in coastal locations because of the damage they cause to fish and other marine life.

We have long argued that the LNG should be burned in CHP (Combined Heat and Power) stations that would ensure both the electricity and heat is used. The oil refineries and LNG terminals on the shore of Milford Haven make it an ideal location for this. At the LNG power station and terminals in the Isle of Grain in Kent, this is precisely the system they are using, improving efficiency and saving 350,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year.

The company has started building the Pembroke power station before it has obtained an environmental permit to operate and despite being told by the Environment Agency that the decision to start construction is at its own risk. FoE Cymru has also asked Wales’ Environment Minister to call in the environmental permit application to ensure that the SAC is adequately protected.

By using the best technology, industry can co-exist with Pembrokeshire’s high quality environment securing jobs in industry, fishing and tourism.

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