The dusted-down scheme is one of a pipeline of at least 15 gas-fired power stations projects in the pipeline in what is being dubbed as ‘dash for gas II’.

The projects are being approved by Government as the call for more capacity grows to make up shortfalls ahead of the delayed nuclear power station programme coming on stream.

SSE was granted planning permission for the extension in 2000, but shelved the scheme when the Government blew the whistle on the surge of planned schemes in the first so called ‘dash for gas’.

New designs are expected to be submitted to North Lincolnshire Council for approval later this year, with the promise of creating up to 450 construction jobs.

Official estimates of the amount of power expected to be generated from gas by 2030 has quadrupled in the last year from 8MW to around 31WM.

Some 15GW of gas-fired capacity has been given consent. Centrica has permission to build a 1,000MW CCGT plant at Kings Lynn, and  independent generator Intergen has planning consent for two CCGT plants with a combined output of 1.8GW in Lincolnshire and Essex.

Spain’s Iberdrola, which owns Scottish Power, is planning three CCGT plants