Power plant in shutdown

Rugeley Power Station is to be switched off for four months while new equipment is fitted at a cost of £145 million.

The imposing cooling towers at the plant will stop belching out steam at the end of this month when electricity generation is stopped.

During the four-month shutdown workers will install flue equipment to reduce sulphur emissions from the coal-fired plant.

It will help reduce harmful gases being released into the atmosphere and is a Government requirement if the power station is to continue operating 24 hours a day.

The Government has said it will limit the hours of any power plant that does not comply with the new targets.

Flue gas desulphurisation is a process where waste gases from the burnt coal are scrubbed with a chemical absorbent such as limestone to remove sulphur dioxide.

Beth Akers, a spokesman for International Power which runs the plant, said the shutdown should not affect electricity supplies.

She said: "National Grid retains a reserve amount of electricity. Fitting the flue gas desulphurisation is a big project and a major improvement at Rugeley, which will allow us to continue operating 24 hours a day."

International Power, which owns plants across the globe, has reported a 17 per cent rise in full-year operating profit to £904 million.

The UK-based power generator said operating profit in Europe rose to £574 million up from £450 million in the previous year.

Rugeley Power Station is expected to produce only 55 per cent of its capacity this year due to the shutdown but the company said the plant was performing well.

Philip Cox, chief executive, said: "We expect 2008 to be another year of growth. The company is well-positioned with a good outlook."