5. What steps is the Welsh Government taking regarding Aberthaw power station following the decision of the European Court of Justice last September? OAQ(5)0403(FM) [W]

Natural Resources Wales is the environmental regulator responsible for modifying Aberthaw’s environmental permit so that it gives effect to the court’s judgment. We, as a Government, of course, continue to closely monitor the progress of both NRW and RWE towards delivering compliance.

The court case was last September. RWE and the member state, which is the UK Government, were found guilty of allowing illegal levels of pollution from Aberthaw power station. Since then, there’s only been one letter by NRW to the company, and that hasn’t been responded to. There’s been no change to the permit for this pollution and Public Health Wales confirmed to me last week that 1,150 early deaths take place annually in Wales because of nitrogen dioxide pollution, which is the pollution emerging from Aberthaw power station. Why are we allowing such a situation, where there is this pollution coming from a power station that breaks all the rules and it is allowed to happen months after a court decided that this needed to be tackled?

This is a matter for NRW, but what they tell us is that the emissions of nitrogen oxide have been reduced from Aberthaw itself, and to a level that isn’t far from the limit that exists now, because of what the court said. So, although it is a matter for Natural Resources Wales, it does look as if the emissions have been reduced and now it’s a matter of seeing whether it’s possible to permit the place to proceed.

I was very interested, First Minister, by that answer because I’ve not seen the data, and I thought that some level of investment would be required to reduce these emissions, which were over twice the actual agreed European limit. So, I’m sure if you could put that information in the Library or circulate it to Members, we would be very, very grateful. But the thing is you do have to act quickly so that the public can be assured they will be protected. This power station will survive through to the medium term, albeit for peak demand, but, you know, its emissions go over Cardiff, Bristol and parts of the west country; this is a serious matter.

Yes. The information, as I say, we have from NRW is that emissions have reduced from the plant itself. On 6 January, NRW wrote to RWE setting out their intention to begin the process of modifying Aberthaw’s permit. That letter was accompanied by a formal request for an explanation of RWE’s compliance plans, and the deadline for responding to the information request is 17 February. I think it’s fair to say that RWE have invested in the plant to reduce emissions but, of course, they must be brought within the limit in order for them to be able to get a permit from NRW in the future.