Government to decide on coal plant

Energy giant E.On UK wants to replace existing coal-fired units at Kingsnorth power station in Medway, Kent, with two new cleaner coal units under a £1 billion scheme.

The firm said the move would produce power from coal more efficiently and more cleanly than ever before in the UK and would produce enough energy to supply about 1.5 million homes from 2012 as well as cutting carbon emissions by almost two million tons a year.

Medway councillors supported the plan, which attracted thousands of objections, but the final decision will be made by the Government.

Greenpeace said the proposal gave Gordon Brown his biggest test since pledging to put Britain at the forefront of efforts to combat climate change.

The campaign group warned that if the Prime Minister gives the green light to the new coal-fired station, it would lock Britain into "huge" carbon emissions for decades and signal Mr Brown's "surrender" on the UK's long-term climate change targets.

Executive director John Sauven said: "Gordon Brown recently promised this country he would lead the fight against climate change. Well, very soon we'll know if he meant it.

"The proposal for a new coal-fired power station that has now landed on his desk represents what could be the defining climate-change decision of his premiership."

Friends of the Earth energy campaigner Robin Webster said it was very disappointing that Medway Council had given its backing to the "outdated and dirty" coal-fired power station.

E.On spokesman Jonathan Smith said the new station was "more modern and efficient" than the old plant and would cut emissions by two million tons of C02 a year - the equivalent of taking half a million cars off the road.