Dec 05, 2008 | Amsterdam Nuon Magnum, resumption of construction one step closer by
Today the Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality issued a ruling on objections regarding the Nuon Magnum power plant. This brings the resumption of the construction of the plant, which stopped in May this year, one step closer.
The minister considers most of the objections that were lodged against the construction of the power plant unfounded. However, in her ruling she proposes a few extra measures to enable the power plant to be as environmentally friendly as possible. Nuon endorses these measures, which are oriented to protecting the ‘Grey Dunes’ on the islands of Ameland and Schiermonnikoog. Nuon has already, among other things, set up a nesting and resting place for birds.
The ruling was issued in the context of the Dutch Nature Conservation Act. The next step is the issue of the licence – in the context of the same Act – by the province of Friesland. The final step in the process is the granting of a new licence in the context of the Dutch Environmental Management Act by the province of Groningen. The construction of Nuon Magnum can then be resumed.
With the development of the Magnum power plant Nuon is making a step in the transition to a sustainable energy supply. The gas-fired part of the power plant will be built first. The second phase should comprise the construction of a unit to gasify coal and biomass. This gasification technology makes it possible to capture CO2 with a relatively small loss of output. If a lot of wind energy is available, the coal gasification unit of the power plant can be used for the production of products other than electricity. In this way Nuon Magnum can respond flexibly to the fluctuating availability of wind energy.