Centrica complains about British process

LONDON, July 7 (UPI) -- British energy giant Centrica said the government needed a smoother process for approval of alternative energy projects to reach its own policy goals.

"It is essential that the UK maintains an efficient planning process without undue constraints on development if stretching renewable energy targets are to be met," the company said after the government approved one of two wind farm projects Centrica had proposed.

The government has set a target of $170 billion in investments in alternative energy to be spent over the next 10 years, The Daily Telegraph reported Saturday.

On the other hand, the same government rejected one of Centrica's projects, a 540 megawatt wind farm project called Docking Shoal that was estimated would kill 76 Sandwich terns a year, the newspaper said.

Farther away from the birds' nesting grounds, the recently approved 580 megawatt Centrica wind farm called Race Bank and other wind farms in the area are expected to kill 94 terns a year.

Energy Secretary Ed Davey said the 94 bird deaths a year was "acceptable."

But Centrica complained that it had "already incurred considerable costs" on the Docking Shoal proposal and had waited "more than three and a half years" for government approval.