ENVIRONMENTAL campaigners have handed in an open letter at Westminster protesting the building of a huge gas power station in North Yorkshire.

Protestors from Biofuelwatch handed in a petition, started by Mark Knowles, of York Green Party, and containing more than 96,000 signatures, to business secretary Greg Clark on Thursday.

Drax is seeking permission to build the UK’s “largest ever gas power capacity” plant.

Campaigners insist Drax is already the UK’s largest emitter of CO2, burning more wood than any other power station in the world, as well as continuing to burn coal.

They say Drax knows its Repower project would increase CO2 emissions and tie the UK to fossil fuel reliance for many decades.

Duncan Law, of Biofuelwatch, said: “The UK does not need this gas capacity even according to government projections. Drax, if they get planning permission, will be burning gas until 2047.

“This will subsidise the burning of climate damaging biomass long into the future.”

In response, Drax Power CEO Andy Koss said: “By using high efficiency gas turbines we can continue to deliver flexible and reliable generating capacity as well as system support services.

“These will be vital for maintaining secure power supplies as more intermittent renewables, like wind and solar, come online, ensuring the electricity we need when we need it - whatever the weather.”

Repower aims to deliver up to 3.6gw of reliable, flexible power generation and up to 200mw of battery storage.

Koss said: “If it goes ahead we could stop using coal ahead of the Government’s 2025 deadline, reducing emissions and protecting jobs.”

The public consultation closed on Thursday and a Government decision is expected in October.