North Eastern company Encora Energy, on behalf of London-based Rydberg Development Ltd, has lodged a planning application to build the plant on the Solway Industrial Estate.
It will be one of what are known as peaking plants, designed to stabilise energy supply as the UK moves to more renewable energy.
Encora development manager Adrian Coe said the industry throughout the UK recognised that as the country moves to renewables there could be a period when supply becomes less stable.
“If the wind is not blowing and the sun is not shining, you are not going to get the energy from wind farms or solar,” he said.
Peaking plants do not operate all the time but begin generating electricity to the National Grid when there is a drop in energy.
Mr Coe said they were “temporary” measures and would not be needed after about 20 years once the use of renewable energy becomes more widespread and less unstable.
A peaking power plant is also planned for Kingmoor in Carlisle.
The Maryport plant would be just over half the size of the town’s new Lidl – 1,527 square metres compared with Lidl’s 2,470 square metres.
“There will be some limited opportunities for local sub-contractors during the construction but I can’t really say it is going to provide jobs,” said Mr Coe.
“The power plants are not manned. They run automatically. However, if we get a few of these around Cumbria then it might be that we have some kind of monitoring team here.”
Residents and businesses on or neighbouring the Solway Industrial Estate have until July 26 to comment to Allerdale planners.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here