Comments Related To: Drax climate change protesters found guilty

If we close Drax power station tomorrow, would 180 less people die as a direct result of that? I suspect that figure doesn't hold up to acutal scrutiny.
How many people a year does the power generated by Drax save? The hospitals it powers, the phone exchanges for emergency calls, lighting on the roads, the jobs it provides and the money it puts into the economy both in respect of the jobs it creates, both within the power station itself and its supply chain, and the tax on the profit it makes from providing this power? How much money does this put back into the economy at large?

Doesn't your argument entirely assume that the power that Drax provides can't be sourced from somewhere else - wind, tidal, solar, geothermal, biomass - much more efficiently, especially if the means of generation are local. Large centralised power stations like this aren't just climate damaging - they are deeply inefficient because of the wastage involved in then carrying that electricity - so if you are going to use fossial fuels then it should be in local-scale CHP. And all of those both have the economic contributions you mention, whilst also having small-p political benefits in terms of the potential for community involvement and engagement. And in terms of the claim of the jobs that Drax creates - well the answer is very few in the actual power station itself, because it's mainly automated, and the vast majority of the coal it burns isn't British, so no jobs here, and a lot of it is from Colombia, which means that it's associated with outrageous labour abuses such as assassination of union leaders and general suppression of decent wages and conditions.
I could continue...

Yours is a valid point, but my argument assumes that the other power sources you refer to, at this stage, aren't more effecient, and therefore cheaper, else they would be in place. Which i think is a valid assumption.
The big multinationals involved in power generation aren't in the habit of throwing money away when they could be making ever bigger bonuses for themselves and shareholders by more efficient means. At this point, seems to me Drax is the best option we have in the short term and whilst other options of generating power are desirable, they're a long way off from being a geniune affordable alternative.
The jobs created by Drax aren't just about the coal. although my understanding is they are one of the major customers of the relatively small uk coal market. But it's also about the materials within the plant, the jobs it brings to the local community, and the industries that arise around it to support its people.
I'm not opposed to green power but i think its all a little too idealistic at this stage and it needs a centre ground based on what is realistic given the power demands of this country. And it is not realistic to call for the closing of a plant such as Drax when no viable alternative is in place to fill the gap.
The fact remains sitting on a train for 22 hours does little to move the debate forward. Nor does it bring the debate to the fore, because most people will simply be thinking 'hippy twats', if you'll pardon my french.
I will bow to the fact that you'll know more about this than me though. Would be very interested to hear your views on that.