PLANS for a pylon line down the Vale of York should be scrapped if the Enron power station on Teesside has to close, campaigners said today.

The company, which has been experiencing high-profile financial problems, owns the power station at the north of the proposed overhead line from Lackenby down to Shipton. Vale of York MP Anne McIntosh has tabled a parliamentary question asking Patricia Hewitt, Secretary of State at the Department of Trade and Industry, about the future of the power station.

It emerged today that British Gas owner Centrica is to buy the UK commercial gas and electricity business of Enron in a £96.4 million deal. But the future of the Teesside power station remained unclear. Miss McIntosh said: "If the power station were to close, there would be absolutely no case for the line, so it is crucial that the future of the power station is established.

"I have tabled Parliamentary Questions and written to the Secretary of State on this matter, asking her to make an assessment of recent events and to give a statement on the future of Enron's power station on Teesside." Miss McIntosh added: "It seems that the power station is experiencing problems again, this time of a financial nature. The future of the power station hangs in the balance."

The campaigning group REVOLT, which is opposing the overhead line, is also watching the situation closely.

In its latest newsletter to supporters it says that if Enron collapsed, the power station would be sold as a going concern.

"But if it were to close, the case for the line would collapse."

Centrica said its British Gas Trading subsidiary had entered into an agreement with PricewaterhouseCoopers, administrators of Enron Direct Limited, to buy the energy customer business and certain of the assets of the subsidiary.

Updated: 11:05 Wednesday, December 05, 2001