Energy Minister Charles Hendry today granted RWE npower permission to build a new gas-fired power plant, in South Derbyshire.

The Willington plant will be built carbon capture ready, meaning that if the technology comes into use in the future, the CO2 emissions could be captured and stored elsewhere.

Speaking ahead of his visit today, Mr Hendry said: “Gas plants like Willington will continue to be a central part in the country’s energy mix as we make move towards a low carbon economy. There is a also a major opportunity in the long-term for gas power stations like this to be fitted with abatement technology.”

The plant, which could have a capacity of 2400MW, will take around three years to construct and would become the largest gas-fired plant in the UK.

However, a spokesperson from RWE npower was cautious about whether the construction would even go ahead: “We’re two years away from any real investment, it’s premature to talk about it.

On the subject of the untested carbon capture technologies, the spokesperson said: “Low carbon is the future. CCS is a worthy thing to do but any indication that it is definite is very wrong indeed.”