Two Large U.K. Power Plants to Shut in 2013

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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland) -- Two of the U.K.'s oldest power plants will be shut down by March 2013 in order to comply with strict European emissions laws.

RWE npower, the U.K. subsidiary of German energy major RWE AG (OTC:RWEOY) (Essen, Germany), is to shut the 2,000-megawatt (MW) coal-fired Didcot A Power Station in Oxfordshire and the 1,000MW oil-fired Fawley Power Station in Hampshire. The plants are more than 40 years old and the closures are necessary for RWE npower to stay compliant with the European Union's (E.U.'s) Large Combustion Plant Directive (LCPD). The plants opted out of the Large Combustion Plant Directive, which required them to cease generation by the end of December 2015 at the latest, or, once an allocated number of operational hours were completed (20,000 hours for coal or 10,000 hours for oil.) The closures will affect around 270 jobs.

"Both of these stations were built more than 40 years ago, and have been the unsung heroes of our economy ever since, helping to keep the lights on and Britain working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week," claimed Volker Beckers, CEO of RWE npower. "This is a time to reflect on the fantastic teams we have at both of these stations, who have helped to deliver over 80 years of generation for the UK. We will be working hard with all our people at these sites throughout the coming months, to help identify new opportunities within our business wherever possible."

RWE npower said the closures fit with the changing energy landscape in the U.K. which is undergoing a shift away from less efficient fossil-fuel powered plants towards renewables, efficient gas-fired plants and the start of a new nuclear power build programme.

Beckers said: "In the U.K.... modern, low carbon power generation is replacing older, less efficient power stations. RWE has invested more than £3 billion in the U.K. over the past three years and now operates the largest installed capacity of both renewable and gas-fired power stations in the country."

Final commissioning at the company's new Pembroke combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plant in Wales is due to take place by the end of this week. When fully operational the 2,188 MW plant will be capable of generating enough power for up to 3.5 million homes. Constructed on the site of a former oil-fired power station, the new €1.2 billion (US$1.56 billion) plant is claimed by RWE npower as the largest and most efficient CCGT in the U.K, with a stated efficiency rating of almost 60%. For additional information see September 6, 2012 article - September Start for Pembroke Power Plant.

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