A SEARCH has begun to find a new chairman for the operating firm of North Yorkshire power station Drax.

Drax Group, based near Selby, has announced existing chairman Charles Berry is to retire next year after more than six years in the job.

Mr Berry joined the board of Britain's largest coal-fired power plant in December 2005 as a non-executive director before being appointed as chairman in 2008.

In light of Mr Berry's departure, which is due to take place at the conclusion of Drax's next AGM scheduled to be held in April 2015, Drax has started a search process with a view to the appointment of a successor with effect from the close of the 2015 AGM.

David Lindsell, senior independent non-executive director of Drax, thanked Mr Berry "for his exceptional contribution to Drax over the past nine years".

He said: "In particular, he has been a driving force in the creation and development of Drax's biomass strategy and in leading the transformation of the business."

Mr Berry said: "When I step down as chairman of Drax next April, it will be well on its way to becoming a business generating and supplying electricity predominantly from sustainable biomass.

"It has an important future role in the UK's energy supply. It has been a privilege to lead this transformation and to work with an exceptional board and executive management team."