This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-20090703
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| £1bn Pembroke Power Station faces EU permits probe | £1bn Pembroke Power Station faces EU permits probe |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The European Commission has launched an investigation into the UK government's approval of a £1bn gas-fired power station in Pembrokeshire. | The European Commission has launched an investigation into the UK government's approval of a £1bn gas-fired power station in Pembrokeshire. |
| Pembroke Power Station, the largest of its type in Europe, opened last month and will power 3.5m homes. | |
| Following a complaint by Friends of the Earth, the Department of Energy and Climate Change has been told to clarify the impact on Cleddau estuary water. | Following a complaint by Friends of the Earth, the Department of Energy and Climate Change has been told to clarify the impact on Cleddau estuary water. |
| The government said it was currently considering its response. | The government said it was currently considering its response. |
| Water from the estuary is used to cool gas turbines at the 2000MW power station, owned by RWE npower. | |
| Friends of the Earth (FoE) Cymru registered a complaint with the European Commission in July 2010 over concerns that EU laws had been broken. | Friends of the Earth (FoE) Cymru registered a complaint with the European Commission in July 2010 over concerns that EU laws had been broken. |
| An investigation has been ongoing since then to determine whether the Environment Agency should have issued an operating permit. | An investigation has been ongoing since then to determine whether the Environment Agency should have issued an operating permit. |
| Environmentalists are concerned that three EU rules may be being breached by the site's permit to extract water from the Cleddau - to cool five gas-fired turbines - and then return it 8C warmer to a marine special area of conservation. | |
| FoE Cymru director Gareth Clubb said the formal notice by the authorities in Brussels was "one step nearer" taking the matter to European Court of Justice. | FoE Cymru director Gareth Clubb said the formal notice by the authorities in Brussels was "one step nearer" taking the matter to European Court of Justice. |
| He said: "Time and time again we have pointed out that the UK government acted unlawfully in allowing technology to be used in Wales that's not considered good enough in the USA and England. | He said: "Time and time again we have pointed out that the UK government acted unlawfully in allowing technology to be used in Wales that's not considered good enough in the USA and England. |
| "Now our complaint to the European Commission means legal action. If the government had listened at the start, we wouldn't be dealing with the consequences of its incompetence." | "Now our complaint to the European Commission means legal action. If the government had listened at the start, we wouldn't be dealing with the consequences of its incompetence." |
| A spokesman for the Department of Energy and Climate Change told BBC Wales that the commission's action is a "notice of infringement" and not a 'full-blown infraction proceedings". | A spokesman for the Department of Energy and Climate Change told BBC Wales that the commission's action is a "notice of infringement" and not a 'full-blown infraction proceedings". |
| A spokesman said: "The government has two months to respond and we are currently considering our response." | A spokesman said: "The government has two months to respond and we are currently considering our response." |