To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department has taken to determine whether the proposed Kingsnorth power station would deliver an absolute increase in energy efficiency; what assessment he has made of the energy efficiency of (a) Kingsnorth and (b) existing plant; and what estimate he has made of the change in levels of carbon dioxide emissions which would result from the (i) construction and (ii) operation of the power station. (241883)

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has made no such assessments or estimates.

E.ON estimate that the proposed Kingsnorth super-critical boilers could attain an efficiency of around 47 per cent. against 37 per cent. efficiency from the existing Kingsnorth sub-critical boilers.

E.ON also estimate that the proposed Kingsnorth station could emit 8.6 MtCO₂ per year, based on maximum assumptions of 0.717 MtCO₂ per TWh of electricity and an estimated output of 12 TWH per year (cf 9.85 TWh achieved by the existing station in 2006). But actual output will depend on many factors, including the relative price of fossil fuels, the price of carbon, and whether, and if so when, any carbon abatement technology is fitted.