The interim results of an 18-month trial burning a blend of coal and petroleum coke at Drax Power Station, situated near Selby in North Yorkshire, show no adverse impact on the local environment, the company announced today (Friday 24 November 2006).

Delivering on its commitment to be open and transparent Drax Power Limited (”Drax”), which owns and operates the station, has held regular meetings throughout the trial with the Environment Agency, Selby District Council, East Riding of Yorkshire Council, North Yorkshire County Council and the local Primary Care Trust. In keeping with this, yesterday’s meeting of Selby District Council Environment Board was addressed by representatives from Drax.

Drax confirmed that independent monitoring of the air quality in the locality has shown no discernible impact on key environmental parameters, including levels of sulphur dioxide, nickel, vanadium and Polycylic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) as a result of the trial. Importantly, there has been a significant reduction in particulates (dust) emitted from the trial unit resulting in lower emissions of nickel and vanadium.

Throughout the trial, which is being conducted on one of the six boiler units at Drax, the power station’s flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) plant, which removes at least 90% of the sulphur dioxide emissions from the station’s flue gases, has been operational.

Dr Nigel Burdett, Head of Environment at Drax said: “No operational problems have arisen when burning a blend of coal and petroleum coke, and the monitoring of our handling, transport and fuel transfer arrangements confirm this.

“Overall the findings show that burning a coal and petroleum coke blend is similar to a coal-only operation and, therefore, there has been no change in environmental impact on the local environment as a result of the trial.

“The trial data reinforce the predictions we made before the trial in 2002 and we are able to conclude that, in this test, burning a coal and petroleum coke blend has presented no threat to public health.”

Drax also reported there had been no noticeable effect on the quality of water discharged after use in the cooling process and treatment of by-products.

The company presented councillors with an executive summary entitled Phase 2 of the Coal/Petroleum Coke Trial at Drax Power Station, outlining key findings of the test results for the first nine months since the trial began on 27 June 2005.

The document states: “Overall, monitoring data obtained have shown that the total environmental impact for a coal/petroleum coke blend is similar to that for the plant burning coal-only and, therefore, there has been no associated adverse impact on the local environment as a result of the trial.”

The summary concludes: “The collection and interpretation of the information from the trial has been a valuable first step in assembling the relevant data, which will be used to support a later application for full commercial burning of coal/petroleum coke blends on up to all six units.”

For more information, please contact:

Melanie Wedgbury
Drax Power
01757 618381

Richard Harrison / Lisa McGauley
Imagen PR
01943 468778

Notes to Editors

1. Drax Power Limited is the owner of Drax Power Station, the largest, cleanest and most efficient coal fired power station in the UK. The output capacity from the station’s six generators is 4,000MW. At current output levels it supplies some 7% of the UK’s electricity needs.

2. To maintain confidence in the results, independent specialists were used to collect, monitor, maintain and interpret much of the data from the trial.

3. Up to 15% of petroleum coke has been blended and burnt with coal during the trial period.

4. The combustion trial began on 27 June 2005.