Eggborough Power has applied to the Planning Inspectorate for permission to build a new gas plant next to its coal-fired power station in North Yorkshire.
The plans for the facility feature three combined-cycle gas turbines with a total output 2.5GW – enough to meet the needs of around two million homes.
The Planning Inspectorate has 28 days in which to review the submission and decide whether to order an examination by an independent inspector. The examination is anticipated to run from October 2017 to April 2018, provided it goes ahead.
Once complete, the inspector will make a recommendation to the business, energy and industrial strategy secretary, who will then have the final on say on whether to grant a development consent order. A decision is expected to be made by October 2018.
As part of the project, a new underground gas pipeline would be installed to the north of the site to connect the plant to the gas transmission network. It would be linked to the electricity grid via an existing substation.
The coal-fired power station could continue to run during the early part of construction, although it would be shut down by the time the new gas plant entered commercial operation.
Eggborough Power managing director Adam Booth said: “Following the consultation we carried out earlier this year we are extremely excited to have reached this important milestone.
“However, this only represents the next stage in what is a lengthy and complex process and there is still more work to do before a new power station can be delivered at the site.”