With an output of roughly 2GW, it would provide enough power for around two million homes. The proposals include plans to build a new underground gas pipeline to the north of the site to connect the plant to the gas transmission network.
“Eggborough has been a significant player in the UK energy landscape for over 40 years, and we are delighted to be moving forward with proposals which would ensure we continue to play a key role in both the local economy and in the security of electricity supplies nationally,” said managing director Adam Booth.
“Developing a new power station is a lengthy and complex process: right now we are at the early stages of that process and are looking forward to receiving peoples’ views on our proposals.”
The consultation with the local community and other stakeholders will take place during the remainder of September. Several public exhibitions will be held close to the site towards the end of the month.
A decision on consent is expected to be given by business and energy secretary Greg Clark by autumn 2018. Eggborough is aiming to have the plant up and running by 2022 at the earliest, by which point the coal-fired station at the site will have been decommissioned.
At one point the coal-fired plant was expected to close this spring. However, in February it was granted a 12-month reprieve after National Grid awarded it a contract for two of its four units to provide back-up capacity over the coming winter via the Supplemental Balancing Reserve.