From a judicial review and the extraction of millions of tonnes of coal to the network of business interests in fossil fuels, Wales is far from a green country.
By Carys Hopkins. Images by MS Redfern
Since voice.wales last reported on the Aberpergwm coal mine expansion, Welsh Government have remained firm in their stance that they were powerless to stop the drilling of new fossil fuels in south Wales.
Now Coal Action Network (CAN) have now been granted a judicial review of the process and decision to expand the coal mine at Aberpergwm. The High Court has granted the review on the grounds that the Welsh Ministers can apply the Wales Act 2017 to the mine extension licence, something they have repeatedly denied.
The judicial review has also been granted on the basis that the UK Coal Authority has misinterpreted its own powers, and can still withdraw the licence for the extension prior to it being ‘granted’. Effectively, this argues that the licence given to Energybuild Ltd is currently only ‘offered’ and can still be withdrawn.
Whilst the expansion at Aberpergwm is the biggest advance for the fossil fuel industry in Wales in recent years, there are several other companies and mine expansions waiting in the shadows for the Coal Authority’s approval, no doubt looking on in interest at what happens with Aberpergwm.
In the midst of an escalating climate crisis, these projects include:
The Glan Lash mine is currently under review for “Permission to mine by surface mining operations 110,000 tonnes of premium quality anthracite [coal]”. This has been an ongoing battle for Bryn Bach Coal Ltd — the company that owns the Glan Lash mine — as they have faced a backlash for years from the local community and environmental groups such as Friends Of the Earth Cymru.
Celtic Energy Ltd is another member of the Welsh fossil fuel industry. They have “three surface coal mining sites; Selar, Nant Helen and East Pit, producing in excess of one million tonnes of coal per year”. Boasting a website address of coal dot com, Celtic Energy is as pro-fossil fuels as you can get, and not going anywhere any time soon.
And then there is Valero PLC, which has operated in Pembrokeshire since 2011 when it was bought out by Chevron (Texaco). Valero has been vocal through the years about the UK and Welsh government’s stance on climate change. “Valero urges Welsh policymakers not to use the Paris Agreement to go beyond current UK regulatory requirements”. This is typical of fossil fuel companies lobbying efforts against any meaningful action against climate change being taken.
At the same time, the UK Government’s approach, until recently headed by Kwasi Kwarteng MP, former Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, and now Chancellor, has been going full throttle toward fossil fuel and nuclear power.
The MP already has close links to big tobacco and big oil, and has made it clear time again that he supports the fossil fuel industry wholeheartedly.
In this context, lack of Welsh Government action against fossil fuel extraction is deeply concerning. We are being pulled along behind the fossil fuel industry and UK government approach, putting profit over the planet and people.
Energybuild Ltd’s troubling state of affairs
In the past couple of weeks three different companies, all under the same operation at Aberpergwm — Energybuild ltd, Energybuild mining ltd, and Mineral extraction and handling ltd — have faced some serious financial troubles.
As of the 16th May, Keith Calder has resigned from the position of CEO of Energybuild Ltd. The new persons of majority control over Energybuild ltd is a company called IMR Asia Holding Pte Ltd. IMR is a global metals and mining group headquartered in Switzerland, but is incorporated in Singapore.
Keith Calder came over to Energybuild group after Western Canadian Coal bought out Energybuild group in 2010 For £54.4 million. They shortly after then incorporated the company to Energybuild Ltd.
In the recent company fillings which Energybuild ltd have submitted, IMR Ltd has lent both assets and money to bail Energybuild Ltd out of the troubles that they are once again in. IMR Ltd already has links to failing businesses in Wales, and within the fossil fuel and industry sector. In 2018 Tata Steel Ltd sold one of their mines in South Africa to IMR.
The web of businesses that spins itself around the Aberpergwm mine is confusing and continuously changing directions. It is very difficult to get to the bottom of who the business owners are at any point of time, or who the parent company is.
And this is exactly how they want it. Companies within the fossil fuel industry are not transparent about what companies are owned by the same people, and what companies are being saved from financial ruin.
Here is the timeline of Energybuild ltd which proves how this complex web of ownership operates:
- In September 1996 Mineral extraction and handling ltd was incorporated
- In 2003 Energybuild ltd was incorporated
- In 2003 Energybuild holdings ltd was incorporated
- In 2003 Energybuild mining ltd was incorporated
- In 2003 Energybuild opencast ltd was incorporated
- In 2003 Llanwenarth properties ltd was incorporated
- In 2005 Energybuild group limited was incorporated
- In 2008 Energybuild aggregates ltd was incorporated
- In 2009 Western Canadian Coal Corp lent money and assets to Energybuild group limited
- In 2010 Western Canadian Coal Corp bought out Energybuild group
- In 2010 Energybuild group limited was re-registered to a private limited group (ltd)
- In 2011 Western Canadian Coal Corp was bought out by Walter Energy Canada holdings
- In August 2015 Llanwenarth properties ltd changes it’s name to Speciality Carbons ltd
- In February 2017 Cambrian energybuild holdings ULC lent Energybuild opencast limited money
- In December 2017 Black diamond mining ltd was incorporated
- In March 2018 Speciality Carbons ltd becomes person of significant control of Mineral extraction and handling ltd
- In March 2018 Speciality Carbons ltd becomes person of significant control of Energybuild ltd
- In April 2018 Black diamond mining ltd changed it’s name to Energybuild Resources ltd
- In April 2018 Energybuild Resources ltd becomes person of significant control of Energybuild ltd
- In April 2018 Energybuild Resources ltd becomes person of significant control of Mineral extraction and handling ltd
- In 2019 Energybuild group ltd declared solvency
- In 2019 Energybuild holdings ltd declared solvency
- In 2019 Energybuild opencast ltd was dissolved
- In March 2021 Energybuild group ltd was dissolved
- In March 2021 Energybuild holdings ltd was dissolved
- In May 2022 Future Carbons ltd was incorporated
- In May 2022 Future Carbons ltd becomes person of significant control in the company of Energybuild ltd
- In May 2022 Future Carbons Ltd becomes person of significant control of Mineral extraction and handling ltd
- In April 2022 Pergwm holdings ltd becomes incorporated
All of this begs the question as to whether fossil fuel companies are even sustainable, let alone their destruction to the planet. Over the course of almost 20 years, the Energybuild companies have not managed to stabilise, requiring bail outs from one another and constant changes of hand to stay alive.
Many would argue that what is needed instead is a publicly owned energy sector that prioritises sustainable development through expansion of public transport, or the insulation of homes and the like.
The twisted web of businesses that spins itself around the Aberpergwm mine is continuously changing directions, making it difficult to shed light on who the business owners are at any point of time or who the parent company is.
There are millions being transferred with each company buy out and millions lost to debt collectors and repayment of debt to lenders. Feeling through the dark, all to extract coal from the ground and burn it during a climate crisis.
The increasing number of people who want action on climate change will be looking to the Welsh Government to oppose this, not wash their hands of it.
