A call has been made for Scotland’s biggest power station to be replaced amid revelations it is among the top-polluting plants in the EU.
Dunfermline West MP Thomas Docherty said securing a replacement for Longannet in Fife would be one of his top priorities after September’s independence referendum.
He claimed the 45-year-old plant at Kincardine was approaching the end of its life and said it was “critically important” that progress was made towards a new one.
Mr Docherty’s comments follow the publication of a report which named Longannet as the 21st most polluting power plant in the European Union.
The report by WWF, CAN Europe, the European Environmental Bureau, the Health and Environmental Alliance and Climate Alliance Germany looks at CO2 emissions from coal power plants.
The UK and Germany came joint first, with nine of the dirtiest coal plants each.
The nine UK power stations, mainly built in the 1960s and 70s, produced just under a third of the UK’s electricity supply last year but were responsible for nearly two thirds of carbon emissions from the power sector.
ScottishPower said substantial investment had been made in Longannet to ensure it operates within strict environmental legislative limits. However, Mr Docherty said the report served as a reminder of Longannet’s age.
He added: “Longannet plays a crucial role in keeping the lights on in Scotland. However, the station is more than 40 years old and it is approaching the end of its life.
“It is critically important, not just to securing our energy requirements but given its role as one of the largest employers in the western end of Fife, that we make real progress in the next couple of years on a replacement station.”
The MP believes the current Longannet site is large enough to accommodate a new plant before demolishing the existing one.
However, he has yet to hold discussions with ScottishPower or the UK Government on the issue.
According to the new report, the EU’s climate ambitions are in danger of being undermined by the heavy use of coal in some member states, including the UK and Germany.
A ScottishPower spokesman said: “Longannet continues to play an important role in providing electricity for millions of homes in Scotland whilst maintaining system security.
“Substantial investment has been made in recent years to ensure that Longannet operates within strict environmental legislative limits.
“Major projects have been carried out to help limit emissions, with over £200m being invested on projects to reduce sulphur ioxide and nitrous oxide emissions.”