City of York Council chiefs want production at Britain's largest coal-fired power station slashed by half until problems with its gas-cleaning plant are sorted out.

The council's assistant director for environmental regulation, Trevor Phillips, said he would like to see capacity at Drax Power Station reduced following the breakdown of its flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) units.

Drax applied to the Environment Agency to increase its emissions of sulphur dioxide, the main cause of acid rain, from 100,000 tonnes to 270,000 tonnes a year after cracks were discovered in the FGD booster fans.

Mr Phillips has written to the Agency, saying that although the prevailing wind is away from York, the authority is concerned that sulphur dioxide levels in the city could exceed air-quality standards.

The council was also worried about the potential effects of acid deposits on York's historic buildings.

He said: "Increases in emissions of this magnitude could lead to increased erosion of architecturally and historically significant buildings."

The council was strongly opposed to the new emission limit proposed by Drax, and wanted the new level set at no more than 180,000 tonnes a year while some or all of the FGD plant was out of action.

Mr Phillips said: "Drax cannot be viewed in isolation. Eggborough and Ferrybridge lie close by, and to increase emissions as currently proposed, on top of emissions produced by these other stations, neither of which have FGD, is considered unacceptable."The council would like to see production at Drax reduced in line with the number of FGD units operating.

Mr Phillips' recommendations will be discussed by City of York Council's environmental services committee tomorrow.Two of Drax's six FGD filters are now back in operation, with a third planned to come back on stream at the end of June, and the remaining three by the end of the year.

A National Power spokesman said there was no justification for cutting production at Drax. Even without FGD equipment, it was still the cleanest coal-fired station in the UK.

If capacity was cut, it would be replaced by dirtier stations.

An Environment Agency spokeswoman said the City of York Council's suggestion was being considered. The Agency would announce its decision at a public meeting in Selby on June 2.

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