Noise warning as Longannet demolition continues

Explosives may be required for the next stage of the Longannet demolition process

Part of the closed Longannet Power Station in Fife is to be demolished next week.

Small quantities of explosives may be used and could result in higher than normal noise levels and rising dust.

ScottishPower, which owns the power station, say local residents, the emergency services, Fife Council and local community councils have been made aware.

Longannet, Scotland's last coal-fired power station was closed 2016.

The demolition will be carried out by contractor Brown and Mason on 8 November.

The entire process is expected to be completed in 2021, with the large chimney likely to be the last structure to be brought down.

The station was closed as ScottishPower and parent company Iberdrola moved to focus on renewable power.

The power station, once Europe's biggest, was closed in 2016. Demolition work is expected to last a total of five years

Last week ScottishPower moved completely from coal and gas generation to wind power, becoming the first integrated energy company in the UK to do so.

About 220,000 hours have been spent by the demolition contractor carrying out waste removal at the plant, which was once the biggest in Europe.

More than 28,000 tonnes of material has been removed from the site so far, with 98.5% being recovered or recycled.

During its lifetime, more than 177 million tonnes of coal was used along with 2.7 million tonnes of heavy fuel oil and 2.4 million cubic metres of natural gas.