A NEW environmentally-friendly power station planned for Herefordshire would bring long-term contracts to farmers and nearly £2 million worth of business to the county annually, its supporters claim.

The project is being developed by United Utilities and would be powered by the burning of "energy crops" such as the cane-like grass miscanthus.

The 20-megawatt, nine-acre power station would help to meet national Government targets calling for ten per cent of electricity to be made from renewable sources by 2010 and 20 per cent by 2020.

Orleton-based surveyors John Amos and Company have been contracted to liaise with farmers to discuss the growing of the crops, which could also include reed canary grass, switchgrass, poplar and willow. Three thousand five hundred hectares of land is needed to provide the 70,000 tons of crops needed per annum.

Mr Amos said farmers who lived within a 25-mile radius of the power station, which is likely to be in central Herefordshire, would be given contracts of between five and 20 years, worth £1,750,000 a year to the county.

"We've just started our publicity campaign to see if they are interested and the answer so far is yes, they are," he said, adding that from the farmers they had contacted so far they had 1,000 potential hectares.

"We've asked people to give us an intention rather than a contract," said Mr Amos.

"The general response has been from people who have said 'we think we like the idea and we'll do one field', other people have said 30, 40, 50 acres."

Gordon Gilbert, former chairman of the Herefordshire branch of the NFU, welcomed the plans.

"I would welcome anything that helped to make agriculture more financially viable," he said.

Farmers who wish to find out more about the project can call John Amos and Company on 01584 831134.