[2][3][4][5] The station was the location of a carbon capture trial system to determine whether the technology could be scaled up from lab conditions.

[6] Aberthaw was constructed by the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) under the chairmanship of Christopher Hinton.

The station took its entire coal feed stock in by rail from the Vale of Glamorgan Line, under contract to DBS.

Rail facilities included east- and west-facing connections to the main line, three reception sidings, No.

Further stocks were sourced from abroad, primarily Russia, and shipped in via the ports of Portbury, Avonmouth and Newport Docks.

[citation needed] In response to the UK government's renewable energy obligation that came into effect in April 2002, the station began firing a range of biomass materials to replace some of the coal burned.

[16] Construction of the equipment started on 21 June 2006, with a tree planting ceremony attended by the Welsh Minister for Enterprise, Innovation and Networks, Andrew Davies.

The desulphurisation FGD project was being carried out by a consortium of Alstom and Amec Foster Wheeler, which was to have employed 500 workers on site at the peak of construction.

[17] In 2006, it was reported that consultants for the Department of Trade and Industry had identified the site as a suitable location for a nuclear power station, based on the existing infrastructure and logistics.

"[18] On 26 March 2015, the BBC reported that the UK government was being taken to court by the European Commission over excess emissions of nitrogen oxides from Aberthaw power station.

The Cardiff Capital Region announced it had earmarked £30 million to fund the work needed to demolish the station, and to begin redeveloping the site as a clean energy hub.