New power station plan announced

Plans have been announced to build a new power station in south Derbyshire at a cost of £350m.

Electricity company E.ON UK have applied to construct a new gas-fired station on the site of the former coal- fired power station at Drakelow.

If the firm is successful it could open it by 2009, producing electricity for more than a million homes.

The company is in consultation with South Derbyshire District Council and East Staffordshire Borough Council

Simon Vasey, from the company, said: "It's bringing new life to the site which has had a coal fired station sitting there for a number of generations which is now closed.

"It will bring new jobs and investment to the area and we're going to work hard to maximise the opportunity for local contractors during the build phase."