Pipelines Statement. The Planning Act 2008

Transcription

1 The Planning Act 2008 The Infrastructure Planning (Applications: Prescribed Forms and Procedure) Regulations 2009 Regulation 5(2)(p), 6(1)(a)(ii) and 6(4) The Proposed Knottingley Power Plant Order Pipelines Statement PINS application document reference: 7.2 PINS project reference: EN Author: Bond Dickinson LLP Date: 27/08/2013 Version A (submission September 2013) Knottingley Power Limited Tricor Suite, 7th Floor, 52/54 Gracechurch Street London England EC3V OEH info@knottingleypower.co.uk Web: 4A_ _6 1

2 1 Executive summary 1.1 Knottingley Power Limited (the Applicant) is planning to develop the Knottingley Power Plant (the Project). Besides the power plant, the project comprises further associated development, including an approximately 8 km long new underground gas pipeline to connect to the existing high pressure National Transmission System (Feeder 29), which is operated by National Grid Gas plc (NGG), and cooling water pipelines for abstraction and purge flows, which may run either to the Aire and Calder Navigation Canal (a distance of approximately 75 m) or to the River Aire (a distance of approximately 1 km). 1.2 The Applicant is seeking permission to construct the entire gas pipeline, including an above ground installation and all necessary connections to the existing NGG pipeline. However, the Applicant's intention is to transfer the necessary powers to NGG, so that it can design and build certain aspects of the NGG pipeline connection works. 1.3 Although the proposed routes for the gas and water pipelines have been carefully assessed (see sections 5 and 6 of the Environmental Statement, Application document reference number 6.1), neither the gas pipeline nor the water pipelines have yet undergone detailed design. 2 Introduction 2.1 The Project comprises a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP), a natural gas fired Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) power plant of up to 1,500 MW, and associated development. This statement accompanies the Applicant's application (the Application) for a development consent order to authorise the Project (the DCO). References to Application documents are to other documents submitted in support of the Application. 2.2 The CCGT power plant will be fuelled by natural gas only. As part of the associated development for the Project, the Applicant is proposing to construct a new underground gas pipeline (the New Gas Pipeline), of approximately 8 km in length, between the CCGT power plant site and the National Transmission System Feeder 29 (Pannal to Asselby Pipeline) (the NGG Pipeline) near Gateforth. The New Gas Pipeline will terminate in an above ground installation (AGI), which will connect to the NGG Pipeline. 2.3 Associated development also includes cooling water infrastructure, being cooling water pipelines for abstraction and purge flows and a pumping station (the Water Pipelines). Water will be abstracted either from the River Aire or the Aire and Calder Navigation Canal. If the River Aire is chosen to supply cooling water, the Water Pipelines, 4A_ _6 2

3 approximately 1 km in length, will run in parallel underground north from the CCGT power plant site to the River Aire via a pumping station on the southern bank of the River Aire. If the Aire and Calder Navigation Canal is chosen, the Water Pipelines will run in parallel to a pumping station on the northern boundary of the CCGT power plant site. 2.4 This Pipeline Statement has been prepared in accordance with Regulation 6(1)(a)(ii) of the Infrastructure Planning (Applications: Prescribed Forms and Procedures) Regulations 2009 (the APFP Regulations), which requires the Applicant to provide a statement detailing who will be responsible for designing and building the gas pipeline connection to the generating station. 2.5 In addition, as required by Regulation 6(4) of the APFP Regulations, the following details are provided for both the New Gas Pipeline and the Water Pipelines: a. the name of the ; b. the owner of the ; c. the start and end point of the ; d. the length of the in kilometres; e. the external diameter in millimetres of the ; f. what will be conveyed by the ; and g. whether the grant of any rights in land or consents to road or river crossing works are required and if so whether they can be obtained by agreement. 3 Responsibility for designing and building the New Gas Pipeline (APFP Reg 6(1)(a)(ii)) Consenting: 3.1 Under the proposed DCO, associated development includes Work No 8, a high pressure steel pipeline up to 600mm (Nominal Bore) in diameter for the transport of gas. An AGI south of Gateforth off Pale Lane is proposed to connect the New Gas Pipeline to the NGG Pipeline. The AGI is also associated development, Work No. 7 in the draft DCO. of the proposed design, construction, operation and decommissioning of the New Gas Pipeline are set out in Section 6 of the Environmental Statement (Application document reference 6.1). 3.2 Article 34 of the proposed DCO provides that the DCO will have effect as a declaration made by a minister under sub-section 10(3) of the Pipelines Act Under section 10 of that Act (Provisions for securing that a pipe-line is so used as to reduce necessity for 4A_ _6 3

4 construction of others), a person who is not the owner of a pipeline may make an application to the Minister seeking the right to have conveyed by that line the thing or class of things which the line is designed to convey. If the Minister is satisfied that the line could be used to convey the additional thing without prejudice to its proper and efficient operation, then the Minister may make a declaration giving the right to use the pipeline to the applicant and imposing requirements that the Minister considers necessary or expedient. 3.3 The effect of Article 34 is that the Applicant (or the person subsequently becoming the undertaker under the DCO) will have the right to connect to the NGG Pipeline, and for the gas required by the Project to be conveyed through the NGG Pipeline. In return, article 34 requires the undertaker to pay the owner of the NGG Pipeline a proportion of the costs and charges incurred by NGG in relation to the maintenance of the pipeline. Connection to the NGG Pipeline 3.4 The Applicant has worked closely with NGG on the preliminary design of the Project as it relates to the connection to the NGG Pipeline. The Applicant applied to NGG for a Full Connection Offer (FCO) to the National Transmission System (NTS) on 24 June NGG has confirmed to the Applicant that the FCO application has been deemed a Competent Application and that a connection offer will be made to the Applicant by 7 February Design and construction: 3.5 The Applicant (or its successor under the DCO) will be responsible for designing and building the New Gas Pipeline. The Applicant intends to work closely with the Health and Safety Executive in respect of its obligation to obtain a permit for commissioning pressure equipment under Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000 for the New Gas Pipeline. 3.6 The Applicant will also design and build the AGI, with the exception of the Minimum Offtake Connection (MOC) and NTS Spur Pipeline (see paragraphs 3.9 and 3.10 below). An indicative layout of the AGI, MOC and NTS Spur Pipeline is provided in the Indicative AGI layout drawing (Application reference number 2.7). 3.7 A requirement to the proposed DCO requires details of the AGI, which must accord with the indicative AGI layout drawing, to be submitted to and approved by the relevant planning authority. Transfer of the MOC and NTS Spur Pipeline to NGG: 4A_ _6 4

5 3.8 After the DCO for the Project is made, the Applicant intends to transfer relevant powers to NGG so that it can design, build, and operate the MOC and NTS Spur Pipeline. 3.9 Article 6 of the draft DCO (Benefit of the Order), would allow the Applicant to grant or transfer any of the benefit of the provisions of the DCO to another person. The exercise by that person of any benefits or rights conferred this way would be subject to all relevant restrictions, liabilities and obligations under the DCO. If the grantee or transferee is a person who holds a licence under section 7 of the Gas Act 1986, the consent of the Secretary of State would not be required for the transfer. NGG holds such a licence. 4 of proposed New Gas Pipeline (APFP Reg 6(4)) 4.1 Table 1 summarises the information required under Regulation 6(4) of the APFP Regulations in respect of the New Gas Pipeline. Table 1: Requirement Regulation 6(4) The name of the The owner of the The start and end point of the proposed pipeline The Knottingley Power Plant Gas Pipeline The Applicant, or any successor under the DCO The start point of the will be the NTS Spur Pipeline, which is part of the AGI shown as Work No. 7 on the works plan (Application document reference number 2.3). The end point of the will be within the CCGT power plant, shown as Work No. 1A on the works plan. The precise start and end points within these works are not fixed as they will be determined during detailed design. The length of the in The gas pipeline will be approximately 8 km in length 4A_ _6 5

6 Requirement kilometres The external diameter in millimetres of the What will be conveyed by the Whether the grant of any rights in land or consents to road or river crossing works are required and if so whether they can be obtained by agreement The gas pipeline will be constructed from high-grade welded steel pipe and will be up to 600mm (Nominal Bore). Natural gas Rights in land The Applicant is seeking powers in the DCO to: temporarily enter on to land shown on the land plans (Application document reference number 2.2) for the purpose of constructing the New Gas Pipeline; and compulsorily acquire land and rights for the purpose of operating, maintaining and decommissioning the New Gas Pipeline. of the temporary use and compulsory acquisition powers sought are contained in the Book of Reference (Application document reference number 4.3) and the Statement of Reasons (Application document reference number 4.1). The Applicant is seeking to secure the necessary rights by agreement in parallel with its application for the DCO. Crossing works Table 6.4 in the Environmental Statement (Application reference number 6.1) details the proposed crossings. A list of other consents and licences required for the Project accompanies the Application (Application document reference number 5.4) and details consents required for works to watercourses. 4A_ _6 6

7 5 of the proposed Water Pipelines 5.1 Table 2 summarises the information required under Regulation 6(4) of the APFP Regulations in respect of the Water Pipelines. Table 2: Requirement Regulation 6(4) The name of the The owner of the The start and end point of the The Knottingley Power Plant Water Pipelines The Applicant, or any successor under the DCO River Aire option If the River Aire is chosen to supply cooling water, the Water Pipelines will run underground in parallel north from the CCGT power plant site to the River Aire via a pumping station on the southern bank of the river. The start point of the s will be within the CCGT power plant, shown as Work No. 1A on the works plan (Application document reference number 2.3). The end points of the proposed Water Pipelines will be where they abstract from/discharge into the River Aire, shown as Works Nos. 6A and 6B on the works plan (Application document reference number 2.3). The precise start points of the Water Pipelines within Work No. 1A are not fixed as they will be determined during detailed design. Aire and Calder Canal option If the Aire and Calder Navigation Canal is chosen, the Water Pipelines will run in parallel to a pumping station on the northern boundary of the CCGT power plant site. 4A_ _6 7

8 Requirement Alternatively, the purge flow may be discharged to the River Aire. The start points of the s will be within the CCGT power plant, shown as Work No. 1A on the works plan (Application document reference number 2.3). The end points will be either in the Aire and Calder Canal or in the River Aire. As above, the precise start points with Work No. 1A are not fixed as they will be determined during detailed design. The length of the in kilometres If the River Aire is chosen to supply cooling water, approximately 1 km If the Aire and Calder Navigation Canal is chosen, approximately km (75 m) The external diameter in millimetres of the What will be conveyed by the Whether the grant of any rights in land or consents to road or river crossing works are required and if so whether they can be obtained by agreement Abstraction pipeline: up to 700 mm diameter Purge pipeline: up to 400 mm diameter. Water Rights in land The Applicant is seeking powers in the DCO to: temporarily enter on to land shown on the land plans (Application document reference 2.2) for the purpose of constructing the Water Pipelines; and compulsorily acquire land and rights for the purpose of operating, maintaining and decommissioning the Water Pipelines. of the temporary use and compulsory acquisition powers sought are contained in the Book of Reference 4A_ _6 8

9 Requirement (Application document reference 4.3) and the Statement of Reasons (Application document reference 4.1). The Applicant is seeking to secure the necessary rights by agreement in parallel with its application for the DCO. Crossing works Table 6.2 in the Environmental Statement (Application document reference number 6.1) details the proposed crossings if the River Aire option is chosen. A list of other consents and licences required for the Project accompanies the Application (Application document reference number 5.4) and details consents required for works to watercourses. If the canal option is chosen, no crossing works will be required. 4A_ _6 9