To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many facilities with the capacity to generate more than 500 megawatts were (a) given planning consent and (b) closed in each year since 1997; and what the type and capacity of each of those facilities was. (186360)

[holding answer 18 February 2008]: The following new over 500 MW power stations in England and Wales have been consented by this Department since 1997:

BP Saltend 1200 MW CCGT (gas) consented 7 August 1997

Conoco (Immingham) extension to 700 MW Gas CHP consented 22 March 2001

Conoco (Immingham) further extension to 1230 MW Gas CHP consented 1 August 2006

Spalding 800 MW CCGT (gas) consented 15 November 2000

Fleetwood 1000 MW CCGT (gas) consented 15 November 2000

Isle of Grain (Enron) 1200 MW CCGT (gas) consented 15 November 2000

Raventhorpe 750 MW CCGT (gas) consented 15 November 2000

Langage 1010 MW CCGT (gas) consented 15 November 2000

Marchwood Power 800 MW CCGT (gas) consented 28 November 2002

New Isle of Grain 1260 MW CCGT (gas) 31 October 2006

New Severn, Uskmouth 800 MW CCGT (gas) 17 August 2007

New Burton 1270 MW CCGT (gas) consented 30 October 2007

London Array 1000 MW offshore windfarm consented 18 December 2006

Walney 600 MW offshore windfarm consented 7 November 2007

During the same period the following over 500 MW power stations closed:

Blyth B 626 MW coal closed September 2001

Drakelow C 976 MW coal closed March 2003

High Marnham 945 MW coal closed March 2003

Over 500 MW power stations in Scotland are the responsibility of Scottish Ministers and are not included in the data here.