A public consultation on plans to develop a green hydrogen production facility next to Pembroke Power Station has been launched by energy company RWE Generation UK.

The technology uses the electrolysis of water to split into its constituent elements, hydrogen for fuel and power, and oxygen.

RWE, in its consultation, says: “RWE is progressing proposals to develop a green hydrogen production facility on RWE’s land adjacent to the existing Pembroke Power Station and has launched a statutory pre-application consultation to inform stakeholders and the community.

“RWE values the input of the local community and feedback will be used to inform the plans. RWE Pembroke Green Hydrogen will facilitate the generation of green hydrogen. Green hydrogen is produced from water, using energy obtained from renewable sources.

“The hydrogen can then be used to decarbonise local industrial activities in South Wales, by displacing their current fossil fuel usage. The facility would be located on RWE’s site to the west of Pembroke Power Station and would benefit from being well-screened from local communities, while being accessed via the current power station access road.”

It adds: “It is expected that hydrogen generated by this facility for use in local industry would directly result in the reduction of approximately 93,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year, helping to secure a more sustainable future for South Wales’ long-standing industrial heritage. This CO2 saving is the equivalent of removing 18,600 cars from the road each year.”

The 23.7ha development site proposed comprises of a 4ha main electrolyser area, a 1.5km hydrogen gas pipeline corridor, an electrical connection to a high voltage transformer all located to the west of Pembroke Power Station, and an area for connections into the Pembroke Power Station and a cable corridor for connection into the National Grid Substation.

The consultation documents say: “The proposed development is a green hydrogen electrolysis plant that will consume circa 100-110MW of electricity to produce around 2 te/hr green hydrogen gas for third-party uses unrelated to Pembroke Power Station. Including the balance of plant, the total energy consumption for the proposed development will be approximately 140MW.

“The consequent reduction in use of fossil fuels due to substitution by green hydrogen gas, and avoided greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, is a beneficial operational effect of the proposed development.”

It says development of the project is expected to take 24 months, and subject to as-yet unsubmitted full plans’ approval, could be built by early 2027.

The consultation runs to May 20.

A hydrogen fuel plant facility was given the backing of county planners last October, at the former Puma Energy site in Milford Haven.

H2 Energy Ecosystem UK Limited sought permission for the erection of an electrolysis hydrogen generation facility, and associated storage facilities and works at the Amoco Road site.

Work on a new “levelling-up-supported” footbridge in the centre of Pembrokeshire’s county town is expected to start in little over a month and be finished by next March.

The contract for the new bridge, part of the second phase of the Western Quayside regeneration of Haverfordwest, was recently awarded to contractors Walters Group UK Ltd.

The signature bridge scheme, in the Haverfordwest’s conservation area, also includes a ‘plaza’ public realm reconfiguration and enhancement; and repair, renewal and refurbishment of the former Cleddau Foundry building.

It forms part of the wider “Heart of Pembrokeshire” regeneration project in the town, which was previously awarded a Levelling Up Fund grant.

The bridge itself, and its design, labelled an ‘Instagrammable’ bridge by Councillor Rhys Jordan, has proved contentious with some, and was subject to a ‘call-in’ after the contract was awarded at the March meeting of the county council’s Cabinet.

Councillors have previously heard the cost of the ‘signature’ bridge project amounts to £5.7m out of an overall Heart of Pembrokeshire budget of £25.4m; of that money, external funding of £17.7m (70 per cent) has been secured for the overall project and £5.1m (90 per cent) secured for the bridge project.

This leaves council costs at £7.7m for the overall project, and some £600,000 for the bridge and associated works, councillors have heard, with costs to date for the two projects amounting to £3.9m for the Heart of Pembrokeshire project, and £1.1m for the bridge only.

Fears have been expressed that simply building a like-for-like replacement of the “fair to poor condition” existing footbridge – at a circa £931,000 cost – rather than what has been agreed could put levelling-up funding in jeopardy, leaving the council to foot the total bill.

At the early March meeting, council leader David Simpson said: “If we cancelled the actual bridge now we would lose the 90 per cent funding; it would cost us more than for a really nice bridge in the centre of town, and to me is an asset to the community.”

A “call-in” by Conservative group leader Di Clements was heard in April, seeking “further clarification around the quotes and cost estimations to maintain the bridge to ensure that statements that have been made by cabinet members in the public realm are accurate”.

At that April 4 extraordinary cabinet meeting, deputy leader Paul Miler moved the bridge proceed, as moved at the March cabinet meeting, adding that Mr Simpson stood by the comments he made about the bridge project.

Cabinet member for residents’ services Rhys Sinnett said the project was “an integral part of the vision of the future of Haverfordwest,” backed by 90 per cent funding from the UK government.

“There is a real belief this will be a catalyst to help the regeneration of Haverfordwest. It is also good value for the Pembrokeshire taxpayers,” he added.

The Pembrokeshire declaration of the Dyfed-Powys Police and Crime Commissioner election just has been made by Deputy Returning Officer Steven Richards-Downes.

The results in Pembrokeshire are Justin Mark Griffiths (Lib Dem) 1,209; Ian Harrison 5,168 (Con); Dafydd Llywelyn 4,643 (Plaid) and Philippa Thompson (Lab) 5,386.

Therefore Philippa Thompson, of Labour, has had the most votes in Pembrokeshire.

Votes are also being counted in Powys, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire. Once all the votes are in we will know who is elected as the Police and Crime Commissioner for Dyfed-Powys Police.

Before the election Philippa Thompson told this newspaper: “There’s a huge crisis in funding for policing and public services. The Conservative Westminster Government has so much to answer for having destroyed our country’s economy. Labour believes security is the bedrock on which opportunities are built, communities thrive, and local economies prosper.

“Instead of standing up for security, the Tories have done the opposite. This wasn’t an accident – it was the result of deliberate choices. A choice to cut police from our streets, a choice to undermine respect for the rule of law. Our communities cannot afford more of the same. Things have got to change.

“Labour will be tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime.”