Environmental analysis needed ahead of pipe transformation

A process of environmental analysis is expected to go ahead in Scotland, after three major power suppliers submitted applications to create a huge carbon dioxide pipe.

The National Grid, Scottish Power and Shell UK have all joined forces to transform a natural gas-carrying pipe into a specialised CO2 passage.

Its main aim is to transport CO2 emissions from Longannet power station in Fife to the North Sea.

Under the proposals, the link - which runs for 280 km - would carry the gas through Fife, Falkirk, Stirling, Perth and Kinross, Angus and Aberdeenshire.

If all goes to plan, work will start in 2014 and should be finished the following year.

A National Grid spokesman said: "We provide the expertise in the transportation of carbon dioxide gas through a combination of new and existing pipelines."

Yesterday (June 16th 2011), the National Grid announced it was launching a gas detection campaign in Staffordshire, which sees a higher than average number of carbon monoxide poisonings each year.

Posted by Claire Manning