ScottishPower has today announced that it will be opting its 2,304MW Longannet Power Station into the Large Combustion Plant Directive ("LCPD"), removing    restrictions that would otherwise have forced its closure by 2015.

ScottishPower Chief Executive, Philip Bowman, said: "We believe that installing FGD provides both a good investment opportunity and tangible environmental benefits. It will help us to maintain a balanced portfolio and will also contribute significantly to the security of energy supply in Scotland with the potential for Longannet's life to be extended beyond 2020."

Flue Gas Desulphurisation ("FGD") will be installed at Longannet using seawater-based FGD technology to remove sulphur dioxide from the boiler flue gases.  This technology has been deployed at generating stations around the world amounting to some 14GW of installed capacity. Alstom and Amec, working together, have been selected as the preferred contractor at an estimated cost of £170 million.

The decision will secure the future of Longannet Power Station, which employs approximately 320 staff permanently on-site and is expected to create some 300 construction jobs  during  the two year construction period.  The station is the second largest in the UK and generates the equivalent of over 25% of Scottish annual electricity demand. The decision will also create scope for the plant to burn significant quantities of indigenous coal.

Further Information:   
Jennifer Lawton        Director, Investor Relations            0141 636 4527 
David Ross              Investor Relations Manager             0141 566 4853 
Colin McSeveny       Director, Media Relations                 0141 636 4515