Doubts have been raised over plans to build a new £330 million waste incinerator on the site of the Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station.

The site was approved by Nottinghamshire County Council’s planning committee in 2021 and approved by the government the following year. environmental campaigners’ concerns.

Uniper Energy, which owns the site, said it was now “looking at alternative options for the future” after one of its former shareholders decided not to proceed.

On September 30, the UK’s last coal-fired power station closed and is expected to be demolished after decommissioning, which is planned to last two years.

The proposed waste incinerator, known as the East Midlands Energy Renewal (EMERGE) Centre, would burn around 500,000 tonnes of waste a year, reducing landfill and generating enough energy to power 90,000 homes.

Campaigners who opposed the plans at the time said the incineration released significant amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Now, Local Democracy Reporting Service It has been learned that Uniper’s former shareholders, Finnish state-owned Fortum, will not take action after selling its shares in the company.

Fortum sold its shares in 2022 and Uniper is now almost entirely owned by the German government.

A Uniper spokesman said: “We are looking at alternative options for the future.”

Nottingham City Council Meadows ward councilor Michael Edwards raised concerns about the future of the site at the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire joint mine and waste planning committee on Friday.

In response, David Arnold, head of planning and environment at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “There is planning permission in Ratcliffe and this has not yet been implemented. We do not know whether this will be implemented.

“They have until March next year and that’s on Uniper. It’s their territory and it could mean they change their minds because of the circumstances.”