U.K.: Ferrybridge Power Plant Decommissioning Project Goes to ABB

Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--SSE plc (Perth, Scotland) has awarded the decommissioning and demolition contract for the 2,000-megawatt (MW) Ferrybridge C coal-fired power plant in Yorkshire, England, to the engineering arm of ABB Limited (NYSE:ABB) (Zurich, Switzerland).

ABB has been appointed as the project's construction design and management principal designers. The contract will provide testing as there are two multi-fuel plants based on the same site. Industrial Info estimated that the contract is worth roughly £22 million ($27 million).

"The size and scale of Ferrybridge Power Station, its strategic location near key infrastructure, and the continued presence of the multi-fuel 'waste-to-energy' plants on the site all contribute to this being a potentially challenging project," said Matthew Capstick, account manager for ABB's engineering and consultancy group.

He added: "ABB will need to work closely with the client, the demolition contractor and stakeholders to ensure this project is managed correctly. Delivering within the agreed schedule while achieving world-class safety, health and environmental performance is of paramount importance, to both SSE and ABB."

SSE announced plans to shut the 48-year-old plant in 2015, with the final closure taking place earlier this year. The company cited the plant's age, environmental legislation and the anti-coal political climate as the key reasons for the closure. It estimated that the plant would lose £100 million ($123.6 million) over the next five years if it had continued to operate. For additional information, see May 25, 2015, article - Rising Costs Force Closure of Ferrybridge Power Plant in England.

However, the site has remained in use for power generation. Working with U.S.-based waste-to-energy firm (WTE) Wheelabrator Technologies Incorporated (Hampton, New Hampshire) through a 50:50 joint venture, SSE fired up the Ferrybridge Multifuel 1 (FM1) project, with a generating capacity of 68 MW. For additional information, see August 12, 2015, article - Ferrybridge Multifuel 1 Plant Commissioned in Northern England.

The partners have also started construction a second multifuel power station (FM2), which will be sited next to FM1 and will also have a generating capacity of 68 MW.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, five offices in North America and 10 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Our European headquarters are located in Galway, Ireland. Follow IIR Europe on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn For more information on our European coverage send inquiries to info@industrialinfo.eu or visit us online at Industrial Info Europe.