ESB plans second Spanish project

THE ESB is to build a second power station in Spain at a cost of around €500 million.

The semi-state company's international arm, ESBI, said yesterday that it has secured a site near Asturias, around 500 kilometres north-west of Madrid, and would be looking for permission to build a 800 megawatt power plant.

The company said it will begin a consultation period with the Spanish government and local community about the building programme. This will take a couple of years and construction will not begin until 2008.