Connah’s Quay Low Carbon Power

Statutory Consultation
Feedback form

Introduction

Uniper UK Limited (hereafter referred to as ‘Uniper’) is exploring the potential development of a new gas-fired power station with carbon capture technology at its Connah’s Quay site, the Connah’s Quay Low Carbon Power (CQLCP) project. If consented and developed, the new power station would be capable of providing around 1.1 gigawatt (GW) (up to a maximum of 1.38 GW) of low carbon power, to help meet the growing need for electricity, whenever it is required.

We are inviting feedback on our proposals during our Statutory Consultation, taking place from Tuesday 8 October 2024 to 11:59pm on Tuesday 19 November 2024. The consultation is a formal opportunity for stakeholders and members of the local community to comment on our updated proposals before we submit an application to the Planning Inspectorate, expected to be early in 2025.

Please complete this form to let us know your thoughts. If you have any problems or need any assistance, please call us on 0800 012 9156 or email us at info@connahsquaylcp.co.uk.

You are welcome to complete only the sections of the feedback form that are relevant to you. All feedback will be reviewed and, where possible, will help shape our plans for the project.

The deadline for responses to the consultation to be received by Uniper is 11:59pm on Tuesday 19 November 2024.

Overview

Uniper will seek to obtain development consent for the CQLCP project by submitting a Development Consent Order (DCO) application to the Planning Inspectorate under the Planning Act 2008, covering Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP).

As part of the planning process, we are currently undertaking an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), to identify any potential environmental impacts associated with the construction, operation and decommissioning phases of the project. This also considers how these have influenced design development and our approach to mitigating or avoiding any likely significant adverse effects.

A Preliminary Environmental Information Report (PEIR) – which contains preliminary environmental information on the potential effects of the project - will be consulted upon as part of the Statutory Consultation.

This feedback form is part of our consultation materials, including a Consultation Brochure and the Non-Technical Summary of the PEIR, which provides an outline of the key findings of our preliminary assessments to date.

We recommend that you read our Consultation Brochure to help you provide feedback on our proposals. You may also want to refer to the PEIR for more detailed information.

All of our consultation materials, including this feedback form, can be found on our consultation website: https://uniperuk.consulting/cqlcp/. Our website also contains details of how you can access our materials in alternative formats, should you wish to do so. Our website and all key project materials, including this feedback form, our consultation brochure, newsletter and Non-Technical Summary of the PEIR, will be made available in Welsh.

"At Uniper, we understand the importance of being a good neighbour and believe in community involvement. Your feedback is essential in helping to shape the future of our Connah’s Quay site and I’d encourage everyone to participate in the Statutory Consultation and share your thoughts and ideas on our plans.”

Helen Rogers,
Uniper Project Manager

What we are consulting on

Proposals to develop a new gas-fired power station with carbon capture technology at Connah’s Quay are at a very early stage. Although we have initial plans for the project, we are currently going through a process of consultation and engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, including national agencies, local authorities, businesses, community groups and local residents.

In particular, we are interested to know your views about:

  • the need for the project and whether you agree with developing a new low carbon power station;
  • the project site, including the suitability of our Connah’s Quay site for a new low carbon power station, and our indicative project layout;
  • the studies and assessments that we have undertaken as part of the PEIR and whether there is anything else that we could consider;
  • any additional measures you think we should consider in our proposals; and
  • any local issues or sensitivities that we should be aware of.

The views expressed by all stakeholders, along with the outcomes of environmental assessments and technical studies, will be carefully considered.

We are consulting on the Preliminary Environmental Information Report (PEIR) and inviting feedback on our proposals during our Statutory Consultation, taking place from Tuesday 8 October 2024 to 11:59pm on Tuesday 19 November 2024.

The PEIR, the Non-Technical Summary of the PEIR and our consultation brochure can be viewed on our dedicated consultation website: https://uniperuk.consulting/cqlcp/.

Section One: About you

Your details help us to understand who has responded to our consultation, including whether you represent any organisations, have a professional interest in the project, and where you live relative to the site. This data will help us to understand how different groups of the community may be affected by the project, and how we could potentially improve our consultation in the future.

Please see our Privacy Notice for details on how we will use your data.

Please tick this box if you do not wish to receive updates from us following this consultation.


Age range:







1. How would you describe your interest in our proposals? (Please tick all that apply)










2. If you are responding on behalf of an organisation, please confirm this below, ensuring you have the authorisation to do so.



2a. If yes, please specify the name of the organisation:

3. Are there any particular aspects of the Connah’s Quay Low Carbon Power project proposals that you are most interested in or that you would like to know more about?



Tick as many boxes as apply:










Section Two: The need for the project and potential benefits it could bring.

This section of the feedback form relates to information contained in the introduction and project background sections of the Consultation Brochure. The questions relate to the reasons that Uniper is considering developing a new low carbon power station and the potential benefits that it could bring.

The proposed new combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power station with carbon capture at Connah’s Quay would be able to flexibly and reliably generate low carbon power to meet the growing need for electricity, whenever it is required. Power stations such as this will play a crucial role in the future energy system, as they can help ensure that energy is available at times when it is needed most, and when power from renewable sources can’t meet demand.

1. Please indicate whether you agree or disagree with the following statement: Climate change is an important issue and action should be taken to address it.







2. Please indicate whether you agree or disagree with the following statement: The UK needs to develop new low carbon gas fired power stations, alongside an increased roll out of other low carbon technologies such as wind, solar and nuclear, to ensure secure and stable supplies of electricity at all times.







3. Based on the information you have seen so far, do you support the development of new gas fired power stations with carbon capture and storage technology?







4. At this early stage of the project, do you support the development of a new gas fired low carbon power station, with carbon capture and storage technology at Connah’s Quay?







5. Which of the potential benefits of the Connah’s Quay Low Carbon Power project proposals do you think are the most important? Please rank each option in order of importance, with 1 as the ‘most important’, to 4 as the ‘least important’, or select ‘I don’t think any of these are benefits’.

Supporting energy security – The first phase of the proposed new CCGT power station is expected to have an initial capacity of around 550MW of low carbon power – enough to power up to 1.4 million homes a year or the equivalent of 34% of the average annualised power demand for Wales.

Providing low carbon power - The potential development of a 1.1 GW (up to a maximum of 1.38 GW) facility could see the capture of up to 3.7Mt of CO₂ per year. Both the UK's Climate Change Committee (CCC)¹ and the International Energy Agency² have stated that carbon capture and storage (CCS/CCUS) is an essential component of a transition to net zero.

Supporting economic growth – CQLCP could contribute to economic growth in the region, protecting skilled technical jobs and creating new opportunities during construction.

Protecting the environment – Uniper will continue working with our local stakeholders to understand any concerns and take steps to protect existing habitats and enhance biodiversity.

I don’t think any of these are benefits


1 Delivering a reliable decarbonised power system - Climate Change Committee (theccc.org.uk)
2 NetZeroRoadmap_AGlobalPathwaytoKeepthe1.5CGoalinReach-2023Update.pdf (iea.blob.core.windows.net) (P132)

6. Do you have any other comments relating to the need for a new low carbon power station or the benefits that it could deliver? Please provide any additional comments below.

Section Three: The proposed location of Connah’s Quay Low Carbon Power

This section of the feedback form relates to information contained in the indicative site map and site selection sections of the Consultation Brochure.

The questions relate to the suitability of the existing Connah’s Quay power station site for a new low carbon power station, and the indicative layout of the facility within the site.

Connah’s Quay is an ideal location to establish a low carbon power station – it could connect into nearby CO2 transport and storage infrastructure as part of the HyNet industrial cluster, and benefits from the on-hand expertise of the existing highly skilled workforce. There has also been a power station on site for over 70 years, meaning essential energy infrastructure is already in place.

1. Please indicate how suitable you believe the existing Connah’s Quay site is to develop a new low carbon power station?







Please use the space below to explain your answer:

2. How suitable do you believe the proposed layout of the site would be based on our updated site map?







3. Do you have any other comments relating to the potential location of a new low carbon power station at the existing Connah’s Quay site, or about the indicative site layout? In particular, are there any possible impacts or issues relating to the proposed location that we should be aware of? Please provide any additional comments below.

Section Four: The proposals for Connah’s Quay Low Carbon Power

This section of the feedback form relates to information contained in the proposals section of the Consultation Brochure. The questions relate to the infrastructure that Uniper is considering developing as part of the project.

CQLCP is at an early stage of development, and proposals for the project may be subject to change, but it is currently expected to consist of:

  • a new combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power station, with an expected capacity of around 1.1 GW and up to a maximum of 1.38GW;
  • integrated carbon capture technology to enable carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from the CCGT to be captured; and
  • a connection into nearby CO₂ transport and storage infrastructure as part of the HyNet industrial cluster, enabling the captured CO₂ to be safely transported to permanent offshore storage facilities in repurposed depleted offshore gas fields.

1. Based on the information that has been provided, do you support the development of a new gas-fired power station with carbon capture technology, which would be able to flexibly and reliably generate low carbon electricity to meet the growing need for power, whenever it is required?






Please use the space below to explain your answer

2. Do you have any other comments relating to the proposals to develop a combined cycle gas turbine power station with carbon capture technology in Connah’s Quay?

3. Based on the updated information you have been provided, do you support the development of carbon capture and storage technology, which would capture at least 95% of the CO2 emissions produced by the plant?






4. Do you have any other comments relating to the initial proposals to develop carbon capture technology as part of the Connah’s Quay Low Carbon Power project? In particular, do you have any concerns about possible impacts or issues relating to the proposed technology that we should be aware of. Please add any additional comments below:

Section Five: The Preliminary Environmental Information Report (PEIR)

The PEIR has been developed in line with the EIA Scoping Opinion received from the Planning Inspectorate on 20 March 2024. In response to the Scoping Opinion, the EIA and the PEIR we are consulting on during this Statutory Consultation, includes assessments of the following environmental topics:

  • Air Quality;
  • Noise and Vibration;
  • Traffic and Transport;
  • Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology;
  • Marine Ecology;
  • Water Environment and Flood Risk;
  • Geology and Ground Conditions;
  • Landscape and Visual Amenity;
  • Physical Processes;
  • Terrestrial Heritage;
  • Marine Heritage;
  • Socio-Economics, Recreation and Tourism;
  • Climate Change;
  • Human Health;
  • Major Accidents and Disasters;
  • Materials and Waste; and
  • Cumulative and Combined Effects.

More information on the EIA process and the advice provided in the EIA Scoping Opinion can be found in Chapter 2 of the PEIR or section 2 of the PEIR Non-Technical Summary.

1. Having reviewed the PEIR, do you have any comments on the assessment of the potential effects the project could have on any of the topics listed above, as well as the measures proposed to mitigate those effects? Please identify any specific topics you would like to address.

2. Are there any environmental topics not included in our list that you feel should be included for assessment?

Section Six: Any other comments

1. We would welcome any other comments you would like to make about the CQLCP project. Please use the space below to address any topics not covered elsewhere in the feedback form.

Section Seven: About the consultation

In order for us to deliver the most effective consultation process, and to learn any lessons about how we can improve, we would welcome your feedback.

1. How did you hear about the consultation?







2. How informative did you find our consultation materials?







3. Did you attend either a consultation exhibition or a virtual webinar?



4. If yes, how informative did you find the event you attended?








5. Would you like to hear more about any specific issues?



6. Do you have any comments on how we could improve the accessibility of our consultation materials, including our brochure?



7. Do you need any additional support to help you participate in future consultation activity for this project?



Get in touch

If you have any additional comments, feedback or would like to get in touch with the project team, please email info@connahsquaylcp.co.uk or call us on 0800 012 9156.

Data protection

Your comments will be analysed by Uniper and its appointed agents. Copies may be made available, in due course, to the Planning Inspectorate and other relevant statutory authorities so that your comments can be considered as part of the development consent order application and examination process. Responses may therefore be made public. However, your personal details will not be placed on public record. Uniper and its appointed agents will hold your personal details securely in accordance with all applicable data protection legislation and will use them solely in connection with the consultation process and subsequent development consent order application and, except as noted above, they will not be passed to third parties. Please refer to our Privacy Notice for more details: https://www.uniper.energy/privacy-policy.