Injunction aims to stop power cut to Baglan energy park

A court has been asked to intervene to ensure an industrial estate keeps its power supply.

A dedicated power station that serves Baglan Energy Park, near Port Talbot, folded last year.

The injunction lodged by the Welsh government aims to safeguard supply so a long-term solution can be found.

The Official Receiver, which is in charge of repaying creditors, said firms were told to find alternatives ahead of Friday's planned switch-off.

The Insolvency Service said on behalf of the Official Receiver: "Since March last year, the Official Receiver and his team have been working tirelessly to wind down the affairs of the companies in liquidation in a safe and responsible manner, in line with his statutory duties.

"Throughout this process customers and stakeholders have been reminded of the need to develop alternative electricity supply arrangements, as supply during the liquidation was temporary."

The industrial estate covers part of the site previously occupied by the BP chemical works and has been redeveloped over the past 25 years.

The power station was commissioned in 2001 and provided energy to the business park through a private wire network.

Baglan Power Station no longer produces energy but serves as a link between the national grid and businesses on Baglan Energy Park.

The Welsh government, Welsh Water, Neath Port Talbot Council and the paper manufacturing firm Sofidel which is based at the site, said they were "working together to try to prevent any disruption to the private wire network power supply".

The Welsh government has partly funded works to connect businesses to a new power line once the existing connection is switched off.

But the work could take a further 12 to 26 weeks to complete and contingency plans have been developed, including placing generators on site, which have arrived on site in recent days, including at a Welsh Water sewage pumping station.

The injunction has been welcomed by Aberavon politicians, whose consituency the park is in.

A statement from Labour Member of the Senedd David Rees and MP Stephen Kinnock said: "We hope the injunction will be successful and that it will allow sufficient time to connect all the businesses on the site to the national power grid, a process which has already been funded and set in motion by the Welsh government."