News

Egnedol ‘confident’ that jobs will be delivered

Published

10 years ago

February 2, 2016

Hi-tech: Proposed power plant could produce up to 350MWe of electricity

THE COMMERCIAL manager of a scheme to bring a pyrolysis power station, a cheese factory and prawn and algae farm to Milford Haven has told a prominent county councillor that he should ‘watch this space’ if he thinks that the plans will not come to fruition.

Phil Johns told The Herald: “The Egnedol project is fully funded with an insurance wrap guaranteeing all stages of the process. We are confident in our ability to deliver – all I can say to Cllr Mike Stoddart is: Watch this space it will happen.”

In an attempt to dampen rumours that the plans were all pie in the sky, Mr Johns confirmed that the project was fully financed with “offshore funding” and that the project was “guaranteed at every stage of the process”. He said that when one stage of the build was completed that the next stage of financing would “follow through”.

He was speaking following comments from Cllr Stoddart that he was sceptical that the plans for the energy £685m project were sound. The scheme would make Pembrokeshire an international standard-bearer for cutting-edge clean energy technology, the company has said.

Speaking to Herald TV last week immediately after Egnedol’s open day in Hazlebeach, Cllr Mike Stoddart said: “It was a very scanty presentation, a few drawings and that was it.

“They seemed very vague about the material they are going to pyrolise. Obviously if it brings hundreds of jobs to Milford Haven then it will be a fantastic asset but I am extremely dubious myself.”

On Wednesday (Jan 20) Cllr Stoddart added to his comments: “I cannot see how they are going to make it pay. I think I saw a figure of 142 staff working at the fish packing facility, along with a figure of 100 tons of fish per year – if this is true they will have very high staff costs.”

“Also the number of people they say will be employed by the new power station will make it a bigger employer than Pembroke Power Station, but it is a much, much smaller facility with one sixth of the output.”

Pembroke Power Station is the largest gas-fired power station in Europe which can generate enough power to supply 3.5 million homes and businesses but only employs around 100 people.

Cllr Stoddart added: “I am baffled as to how this project will work financially. The numbers don’t seem to stack up.”

The Herald caught up with Phil Johns this week outside the Dragon LNG plant on Tuesday (Jan 19).

Asked by our reporter James Hemingrey if the company had any experience in projects like this Mr Johns said: “This is a unique site. The company did have a demonstration unit running in south Wales. The units had been proven with several thousands of hours of running in South Africa.”

He added: “We intend to get our planning application in [to the council] in February this year. Once we have the planning consent in place we are looking at a build time of around twelve months.

“We will be using the jetty to import wood-chip biomass from our own plantations. That biomass will be gasified – superheated in an oxygen free environment. The biogas will then be put through a catalyst that will allow us to produce a clean gas capable of being injected into the national grid, and also used to generate electricity though the use of gas turbines.

“We do have a bi-product in the form of hydrogen and liquid fuels as well which will be exported from the site.

“We have secured our own plantations in Morocco and Greece which basically gives us a good base-load supply”

The 450 jobs which will come to the area for the first part of the development, rising to 550 jobs.

“The project is fully funded with an insurance wrap guaranteeing all stages of the process. We are confident in our ability to deliver – all I can say to Cllr Stoddart is watch this space it will happen.”

According to the company’s website Egnedol Limited was formed to bring together a suite of existing technologies and business partners with a broad range of related expertise.

A statement posted online says: “Our aim is to create an environmentally sustainable centre of excellence at the Waterston and Blackbridge sites in Milford Haven.

“The Milford Haven project will create around 560 permanent jobs and will support and sustain many other positions within existing businesses in the area. A full range of job types will be created, ranging from senior management to part time operative and administrative positions.

“The business model for the project is robust, well funded and the industrial activities created by the project will act as a catalyst that will support businesses in the area.

“Project partners have been secured and will provide inward investment into the project.”

Ministry of Defence

Castlemartin range set for heavy activity as winter live-fire exercise begins

Published

2 hours ago

November 18, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Army warns of late-night firing and increased traffic

CASTLEMARTIN Training Area will be extremely busy over the next few weeks as the Army begins a major live-fire exercise running from now until to 5 December.

The winter training block will see troops carrying out critical preparation ahead of future deployments, with extensive armoured manoeuvres and both daytime and night-time firing.

Extended firing hours

Live firing will take place between the following times:

Monday: 8:00am – 6:00pm and 8:00pm – 3:00am
Tuesday: 8:00am – 6:00pm and 8:00pm – 3:00am
Wednesday: 8:00am – 6:00pm and 8:00pm – 3:00am
Thursday: 8:00am – 6:00pm and 8:00pm – 3:00am
Friday: 8:00am – 6:00pm

There will be no live firing at weekends, although military vehicles will still be moving around the area.

Residents are being reminded that these times are the earliest and latest possible firing windows. Not every day will start or finish at the maximum hours listed.

Traffic expected on rural roads

The Army says there will be increased vehicle movements on local roads—particularly in Angle, Castlemartin and the Freshwater West area—in the week leading up to the exercise and throughout the training period.

A spokesperson said the support of local people is appreciated: “These exercises are essential for maintaining readiness and ensuring our troops are fully trained for any future operational requirement.”

Crime

Two Milford Haven men sent to Crown Court on GBH charges

Published

3 hours ago

November 18, 2025

Court Reporter

The incident stems from a violent incident outside The Vibe public house, Milford Haven involving three men – a woman was also wounded in the incident

TWO Milford Haven men have been sent to Swansea Crown Court charged with section 18 wounding after an alleged incident in the town on November 15.

David McCallum, 41, of Plas Peregrine, Steynton, appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates court on Monday (Nov 17). He is accused of unlawfully and maliciously wounding a woman in Milford Haven with intent to cause her grievous bodily harm, contrary to section 18 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861.

McCallum also faces a second section 18 charge alleging that, on the same date in Milford Haven, he unlawfully and maliciously wounded a man with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm.

He was represented by solicitor Tom Lloyd, with the prosecution conducted by Nia James.

On Tuesday (Nov 18), Nathan Abbott, 31, also of Plas Peregrine, Steynton, appeared before District Judge Mark Layton at Haverfordwest magistrates court.

Abbott is charged with unlawfully and maliciously wounding a man in Milford Haven on November 15 with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm, contrary to section 18 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861.

He was represented by Mike Kelleher, of Welch & Co.

Abbott also gave no plea, and his case was likewise sent to Swansea Crown Court under section 51 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.

Both McCallum and Abbott were remanded on conditional bail.

McCallum’s bail conditions include a curfew from 7:00pm to 7:00am, to be electronically monitored, not to contact directly or indirectly witnesses, and not to enter any public house, licensed club or off-licence.

Abbott’s bail conditions include living and sleeping each night at his home address , not to contact witnesses directly or indirectly, and not to enter licensed premises.

Both men must appear for a Plea and Trial Preparation Hearing at Swansea Crown Court on December 19, 2025, at 9:00am.

No pre-sentence reports were ordered and no indication was given regarding any victim personal statements at this stage.

Crime

Aberystwyth man remanded after admitting cocaine supply

Published

3 hours ago

November 18, 2025

Court Reporter

Case sent to Swansea Crown Court for sentencing

AN ABERYSTWYTH man has been remanded in custody after admitting possessing cocaine with intent to supply and having £7,000 in criminal cash.

Luke Hutton, 25, of Corporation Street, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Nov 17) for his first hearing. The case was heard by a bench of Mr J Steadman, Mrs M Scott and Mr R John. He was represented by Jessica Hill and Mike Kelleher, while the prosecution was led by Nia James.

Hutton pleaded guilty to two offences arising from a police incident at Yr Hafan, Princess Street, Aberystwyth, on November 14.

The first charge was possessing £7,000 in criminal property, contrary to the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. The second was possessing a quantity of cocaine, a Class A drug, with intent to supply.

Magistrates were told that Hutton indicated guilty pleas to both matters on the day of his appearance.

Because of the seriousness of the charges, the bench committed the case to Swansea Crown Court for sentence under Section 14 of the Sentencing Act 2020. A pre-sentence report has been ordered.

Magistrates refused bail, citing the likelihood of further offending, the seriousness of the offences and the likely custodial sentence. Hutton was remanded into custody.

He will next appear at Swansea Crown Court on December 1, 2025, at 9:00am, for a committal for sentence hearing, listed for 30 minutes.