A CALL to site specialist diesel generators at Pembroke Power Station to help keep the lights on in the event of a National Grid shutdown has been given the thumbs-up by county planners.

In a screening application to Pembrokeshire County Council, RWE Generation UK PLC, through Ove Arup & Partners Ltd, sought to site up to six containerised diesel generators, diesel storage tank(s) and electrical connections at Pembroke Power Station, Pwllcrochan, near Pembroke.

The application site is within the site of the existing Pembroke Power Station, a combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) station which began commercial operation in September 2012, with a gross consented capacity of about 2,199 megawatts electric (MWe), replacing the previous oil-fired power station which operated for almost 30 years and was decommissioned in 1999.

A supporting statement says, subject to confirmation, it is considered to comprise permitted development, the scheme “a standalone plant, with its own fuel supply, capable of starting up, operating and shutting down independently from the power station”.

It adds: “It is required only in an emergency to maintain plant status and keep the power station operationally ‘ready’ in the event of a total or partial shutdown of the National Grid system. It is not required for the normal operation of the power station and does not extend its capacity, which remains as already consented, therefore it is not considered a change or extension.”

On need, it says it is mandatory that all electricity generators of over a megawatt have to adopt a new minimum standard of asset resilience; power stations “must be capable of restoring demand on the National Grid electricity transmission system in the event of a total or partial shutdown of the National Grid system,” the Power Station not currently meeting this new asset resilience standard.

It says construction is hoped to start in July 2026, lasting approximately nine to 12 months, the main part across the summer months.

The application was considered by officers to fall under permitted development, saying it “does not require Environmental Impact Assessment because the development, including cumulatively with other development in the locality, is not likely to have significant effects on the environment”.

A WELSHCAKE maker from Wales has joined a global movement of businesses recognised for high standards of social and environmental responsibility.

MamGu Welshcakes has announced that it has become a Certified B Corporation, also known as a B Corp.

The certification, verified by B Lab, recognises companies which meet standards covering social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability.

The assessment looks at a company’s operations across areas including governance, workers, community, the environment and customers. Businesses must also legally embed a commitment to purpose as well as profit.

MamGu Welshcakes now joins more than 10,700 B Corps globally, including more than 2,700 in the UK. Well-known certified businesses include The Guardian, Innocent Drinks, Patagonia, The Big Issue, Finisterre, Elemis and Sipsmith Gin.

The company says it is only the 13th food and drink producer in Wales to receive B Corp certification.

Chris Turner, CEO of B Lab UK said: “We are pleased to have B Corps of all shapes and sizes as part of our community – from startups to multinationals and across many different industries.

“Business is a powerful force and B Corps demonstrate that positive impact is possible in any sector. Welcoming MamGu Welshcakes is an exciting moment for the food and drink industry.

“B Lab UK and the rest of the B Corp community are really pleased that MamGu Welshcakes is paving the way for a new way of doing things.”

Sam Swift, director of MamGu Welshcakes said: “From day one we have always strived to be a business rooted in the community and we’re over the moon to now achieve B Corp certification.

“It’s a clear and rigorous standard that holds us accountable for how we do business; from supporting our people and communities to reducing our environmental impact.”

He added: “B Corp is not just a badge and certainly not the finish line, in fact we see this moment as a new baseline for everything we do next.

“We’re already looking at ways we can be better at everything, from who we work with to the ingredients we use and where they come from.”

B Lab is a non-profit organisation which says it is working to transform the global economy to benefit people, communities and the planet.

PLANS for a micro energy storage facility ‘battery box’ scheme in a Pembrokeshire town have been given the go-ahead, despite local objections including the town council.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, AMP Clean Energy sought permission for a micro energy storage project on land between Steynton Road and Sheffield Drive, Milford Haven.

A supporting statement accompanying the application said the battery boxes import electricity from the local electricity network when demand for electricity is low or when there are high levels of renewable energy available, exporting it back during periods of high demand to help address grid reliability issues prompted by an increase of intermittent (wind and solar) generation.

AMP Clean Energy says it is developing up to 1,250-plus Battery Boxes in the UK over the next three years.

It says each box, which takes up roughly two car parking spaces, stores 800kWh of electricity, giving the potential to power 200 homes for four hours where there is a supply disruption.

The battery box schemes are part of a raft of applications in the county; AMP has gained approval for similar schemes on land between King Street and Meyrick Street, Pembroke Dock and land in between Castle Quarry and Haven Court, Pembroke, on a verge at the Bridge Innovation Centre, Pembroke Dock, and land to the south of Withybush Road, Withybush Industrial Estate, Haverfordwest.

However, a scheme for a micro energy storage project on land at Fishguard Leisure Centre Car Park, near Ysgol Bro Gwaun was refused by the council’s planning committee late last year after concerns were raised including being in “an unsafe, unsustainable and unnecessary location,” and the “nightmare scenario” of a fire as children were leaving the school, which was disputed by AMP’s agent.

For the latest Milford Haven scheme, 34 objections from members of the public were received, raising concerns including closeness to neighbouring properties, traffic congestion and safety during the construction phase, potential fire safety risks, noise and light pollution, landscape impact and impact on property values, and claims of an active covenant on the land.

Milford Haven Town Council had initially supported the scheme but later withdrew that backing, after the chair of the town council’s planning, policy and community committee Councillor Lee Bridges met with residents “deeply concerned about this application”.

“After hearing these concerns (which have been greatly researched and extensively detailed) Milford Haven Town Council would like to officially withdraw the recommendation made on March 3.”

However, an officer report for county planners recommended approval, saying the council public protection team and Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service raised no objections, adding any active covenant on the land was not deemed a material planning consideration.