Power plant seals £100m CO2 deal

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The UK's biggest coal-fired power station has signed a £100m deal to upgrade its turbines and cut carbon dioxide pollution by up to 5%.

The huge Drax station at Selby, North Yorkshire, is revamping the steam turbines in a four-year project.

In August protesters tried to shut down the plant, claiming it was the "largest emitter of carbon dioxide in the UK".

The deal has been signed with Siemens Power Generation and the work is expected to last the next four years.

Drax claims the revamp will result in a saving of one million tonnes of carbon dioxide each year - the equivalent of taking 275,000 cars off the road.

Long relationship

The move will also reduce the amount of coal it burns by 500,000 tonnes each year.

The new deal is a continuation of the long-standing relationship between Drax and Siemens, the company which built the stations existing turbines.

The main part of the project will be carried out in 2008 although some early, limited work will start later this year.

Dorothy Thompson, the chief executive of Drax said: "We are only too well aware of the need to tackle climate change and we firmly believe that we are part of the solution.

"We have a role to play in the transition towards a low-carbon economy whilst at the same time delivering reliable supplies of electricity."

About 600 people are employed at the plant, which was first opened in 1974. It produces 7% of England's electricity needs and was responsible for 21 million tonnes of CO2 emissions in 2005.