A COMPANY hoping to burn cow fat from BSE cattle has not provided enough information for a decision to be made, it was revealed last night.

The Environment Agency (EA) is in the middle of an investigation into SembCorp Utilities' plan to generate green energy by burning fat from cows slaughtered at the height of the BSE crisis.

But the EA has requested that SembCorp, formerly Enron Teesside Operations until a buy-out earlier this year, provide more information on the emissions that would be released into the atmosphere and the smell they may create.

It also asked for more information on the risks associated in relation to dioxins -cancer-causing chemicals -being released into the atmosphere.

The EA has asked for the source of information provided by the company on the risks associated with the potential BSE infectivity from the burning of the fat.

SembCorp, which runs Wilton Power Station, near Redcar, Teesside, hopes to capitalise on a global effort to use renewable products to generate electricity.

The EA told SembCorp it could not make a decision until the information was received.

It has issued two separate notices to the company requesting more detailed information than it initially provided, following feedback and queries from councils, companies and residents who are being consulted on the plans.

David Tarttelin, regulatory officer for the EA, said: "We needed to ask SembCorp a number of questions in order to help us make a decision and we have now received their responses.

"Representations have also been received from the majority of our statutory consultees and the public.

"We are hoping to make a decision on the trial by the end of November."

If permission is granted, SembCorp will carry out a five-week trial.

There is enough fat to generate power for 18 months, after which the company hopes to expand its renewable energy plans.

The Singapore-owned firm is in talks with the Government to buy the fat, which has been in storage since 1996.