Q&A: Kingsnorth power station  The plans, the protests and the
power station Riot police stand guard inside the inner perimeter
of the Kingsnorth power plant Riot police stand guard inside the
inner perimeter of the Kingsnorth power plant. Photograph: Leon
Neal/AFP/Getty Images  What is Kingsnorth?  Kingsnorth is a
power station on the Medway estuary in Kent. It and it's nearby
sister power station, Grain, are owned by the energy company
E.ON. Kingsnorth has four units that between them generate 1940
megawatts. The units are capable of burning both coal and oil
and could also accept up to 10% biomass. Kingsnorth generates
power for more than 1.5m homes.  What was planned?  In October
2006, E.ON announced plans to build two new coal burning units.
If approved it would be the first new coal plant in the UK for
three decades.  How did environmentalists react?  With anger.
The project soon began to become a focal point for climate
change protests. For example, in August 2008 the Climate Camp
network set up a prot