ABERTHAW power station repeatedly breached nitrogen oxide limits, the European Court of Justice has ruled.
The European Court of Justice in Luxembourg found that the coal-fired station, which opened in 1971, was releasing more than double the nitrogen oxide emission limit set by the EU during the years 2008 and 2011.


The UK Government was taken to court after concerns were raised about the station, which specialises in burning low-volatile coal from mines in Wales.
The government had argued that the plant was investing in bringing down the amount of nitrogen oxide it emits.


Following the ruling, the UK government has been ordered to pay court costs.
The station, which employs roughly 600 people, had previously announced in April that it plans to downgrade from 2017 to focus on only generating electricity during the winter and at times of high demand.


Speaking at the time a spokeswoman for station owner RWE said it was unclear what effect the downgrading would have on the station’s 600 employees.


The European court ruling has prompted calls from environmental groups for Aberthaw to be permanently closed, with Rebecca Williams,climate and energy specialist at WWF-UK saying the judgment was “yet another nail in the coffin for the UK’s dirty old coal-power stations”.


Keith Stockdale, a member of Vale Friends of the Earth, said he also welcomed the court’s findings.


He said: “It’s an ancient plant which should have been closed years and years ago.


“You can see the pollution being caused by Aberthaw plant all over the skies. No-one likes to see any area of the country being damaged by pollution.


“Barry is a wonderful place of peacefulness and beauty but I fear that it will be damaged even more because of Aberthaw’s pollution levels.


“Vale Friends of the Earth do welcome the news that the court has discovered the truth and now hope that the plant will follow clear sets of rules.”


Aberthaw power station was contacted for comment.