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Coal back on the agenda for North East?

Unions are pushing for the return of the coal trade to the region with the opening of two new drift mines under the North Sea.

The National Union of Mineworkers has called on the Government to carry out a feasibility study on work needed to open two new drift mines off the coast at Seaburn and Amble which they say would access 400 million tonnes of coal and create 7,000 jobs.

David Guy, of the North East NUM, said the Government had the chance to create a “new Nissan” in the region.

Mr Guy said: “The Northern region has the expertise, the skills and the reserves are here and the opportunity is right there. “All we are asking for is a feasibility study.

“I believe that coal can play a significant part in the regeneration of this region’s economy, it could be a big part of the economy again for the next 50 years. I think this could be the next Nissan.”

But many in the coal industry are warning that the Government is about to “repeat the mistakes of 20 years ago” by failing to back scientists in Newcastle looking into new ways of reducing the harmful gases emitted when coal is burnt.

Known as CCS, the different ways of reducing carbon emission can include treating coal before it is burnt or refitting power stations to capture dangerous gasses and bury them under the North Sea.

Blaydon MP Dave Anderson, who sits on the House of Commons energy select committee, backed clean coal.

“Getting the region, or the country, to the point where it can lead the way will take money, there is no getting around that,” he said.

“But we just do not have a choice, because renewable energy, for all its benefits, is not going to provide all our energy needs, and ministers are now starting to realise that if they don’t act now the lights will go out.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .