Unite, GMB and Prospect are jointly trying to keep pressure on government to intervene by asking local MPs to lobby on behalf of the coal plant and its 800 workers. This gambit follows an unsuccessful bid for a meeting with energy secretary Ed Davey last month.
Eggborough, which accounts for 4 per cent of UK power generation capacity, is to close by the end of 2015 unless government acts. The decision followed an unexpected change to subsidy rules in December, which scuppered plans to convert it to run on biomass.
In the company’s first statement since December, Paul Tomlinson, chief operating officer at Eggborough, said: “Given our advanced project readiness and final stage financing, we remain extremely surprised that Eggborough was not selected as one of the projects to receive early support via the Final Investment Decision Enabling Process.”
Subsequent conversations with government “have unfortunately not clarified our understanding,” added Tomlinson, hinting at ulterior political motives behind the rule change. “It has become evident that this process is not the primary barrier to the project going ahead.”
Neighbouring coal plant Drax has led the drive for biomass conversion and Eggborough was widely expected to follow. However, the Department of Energy and Climate Change said there was not enough money in the pot to give both “go-early” approval for support contracts. The more advanced scheme at Drax won out.
Given political will, the project can be revived, says Tomlinson. Its fate is “in the hands of ministers”.
Time is running out, however. Without the subsidy lined up, Eggborough cannot commit to the investment needed to convert the station before European emissions legislation kicks in that will stop it running on coal.
Kevin Coyne, Unite national officer for energy, said writing off Eggborough would be “an act of industrial vandalism”. He added: “Coal fired power stations are closing and there are not enough replacements, yet Ed Davey seems content to lose 4 per cent of the UK’s energy capacity in one fell swoop. It is no wonder Britain is heading for an energy crisis. We sincerely hope the energy secretary rethinks this bizarre decision.”
GMB national secretary for energy Gary Smith said: “Stations like Eggborough try to do the right thing moving to renewables and they get a kick in the teeth in return.”