Jim Mather MSP, Minister for Energy and Tourism, carried out an official visit to Longannet Power Station on Tuesday 24 June. Mr Mather was shown the inner workings of the station, situated in Kincardine-on-Forth, by ScottishPower engineering manager Alan Wilson.

 Longannet is one of the largest coal fired power stations in Europe and the second largest in the UK. It operates four 600 megawatt (MW) turbine-generators which have the capacity to keep the lights on in two million homes.

 Notes to Editors:

Longannet Power Station Facts

• The station was originally commissioned and opened between 1969 and 1973.
• The station burns a range of coal from around the world including Scottish open-cast coal and coal from as far away as Russia and Colombia. Typically Longannet requires approximately 4 million tonnes of coal per year.
• The station also co-fires sustainable biomass products such as sawdust, peanut husks and oatmeal. 30,000 tonnes of sustainable biomass products were used last year, and this figure is expected to keep on rising.
• The station chimney is 183 metres tall, the second highest free-standing structure in Scotland behind the chimney at Inverkip Power Station (236m).

Media Information: Paul Ferguson 0141 566 4515 / 07702 665 924