THE company building a gasification plant at Barry dock has explained its production process to the Barry & District News.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) is holding a public consultation on the Biomass UK No 2 Ltd application for a permit to operate the £50 million Woodham Road plant.

People opposing the facility have voiced concern that there would not be enough of a wood supply to feed the operation and domestic waste could end up at the site in future.

Regarding this concern, the spokesman said: “The plant is only permitted by planning to process waste wood, the environmental permit is only in respect of waste wood and the project has a long-term waste wood supply contract for all its requirements for the life of the plant. Our feedstock availability studies indicate there is no reason to think there will ever be a shortage of waste wood for the plant.”

Last week the Barry & District News reported how the Barry Community Watersports Activity Centre, on The Mole, No. 1 Dock, was broken into for a 14th time within the space of two months.

The charitable community organisation has had difficulties obtaining an affordable electricity supply.

The company spokesman said: “The plant is set up to feed power into the grid at high voltage rather than supplying electricity through direct wires to local users. However, the project owners run a community initiatives programme that it expects to apply to the Barry plant so suggestions from local charities such as BCWAC would be welcome.

“The connection into the 33kV (high voltage) grid operated by Western Power Distribution will be via a substation at the project site. Western Power will be responsible for all aspects of this.

He added: “We want to reiterate our commitment to local residents that the project will meet the very highest environmental and safety standards. We are aware that incorrect information about the project has been circulating locally, and this was discussed in some detail with the visiting MP and AM visitors.”