RWE Cleared to Build U.K. Gas-Fired Plant

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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--The U.K. government has granted permission for the construction of a 2,400-megawatt (MW), gas-fired plant in Willington, South Derbyshire. Permission was granted to RWE npower (Swindon, England), the U.K. arm of energy giant RWE AG (OTC:RWEOY) (Essen, Germany), by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). This is the second major gas-fired project to be given the green light in recent weeks.

At the end of January, ScottishPower (Glasgow, Scotland) received the go-ahead to build a 1,000-MW, gas-fired power plant near Hoo St. Werburgh in Kent, England. The Damhead Creek 2 plant will be next to the existing 800-MW Damhead Creek gas-fired plant. For related news, see January 27, 2011, article - ScottishPower Wins Approval for Kent Gas-Fired Power Plant.

Permission for a new Willington C plant, which will cost an estimated £1 billion pounds (1.16 billion euros, $1.63 billion), allows for the phased construction of up to four 500-MW, combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plants and four open-cycle gas turbine (OCGT) plants, which will have a combined generating capacity of 400 MW. No start date for construction has been given, but the plant will take about three years to build. Construction will hinge on RWE getting permission for a new gas pipeline that will transport the natural gas fuel needed to operate the proposed power station. A consent application is expected to be lodged with the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) by the end of 2011, with a decision not expected until the end of 2012.

"The Willington plant will play an important role in providing secure electricity supplies to millions of homes, as well as bringing jobs and investment to South Derbyshire," said U.K. Energy Minister, Charles Hendry. "Gas plants like Willington will continue to be a central part in the country's energy mix as we make moves toward a low-carbon economy."

He added: "There is also a major opportunity in the long term for gas power stations like this to be fitted with abatement technology. This station will be built carbon-capture ready, which means that, eventually, CO2 emissions from the plant could be captured and transported for storage offshore."

Kevin McCullough, RWE npower's chief technical officer, said: "Consent for a new OCGT recognises the national need to develop more responsive power generation capacity to support the increase in renewable energy sources. Until the IPC has determined our consent application for the associated gas pipeline, we will not be in a position to make a firm decision about the future of the CCGT power station. We will now consider if the development of a standalone OCGT plant is an appropriate option at this stage and the best way to develop the site."

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