RWE says it is preparing to start the planning process for the construction of a 2.5 GW combined cycle power plant in the UK.
Sian Crampsie
RWE says it is preparing to start the planning process for the construction of a 2.5 GW combined cycle power plant in the UK.
The firm is planning to build the gas-fired plant at the site of its Tilbury biomass power plant, which is being demolished. Its plans include the possibility of up to 300 MW of open cycle gas turbine capacity as well as energy storage capacity at the Essex site.
“The exact size and range of these technologies will be defined as the project progresses, based on an assessment of environmental impacts, as well as market and commercial factors,” RWE said. It added that the development consent application will also include a 3 km gas pipeline that will connect the proposed plant to the transmission network which runs to the east of the site.
RWE has been assessing its portfolio of land and power plants in the UK and believes that efficient and flexible gas plant will remain an important part of the UK’s energy mix in years to come.
It says that a significant amount of environmental survey and modelling work has already been carried out at the Tilbury site, and further environmental surveys will take place this year and next. It will also carry out detailed consultation work in the coming months and the firm plans to submit a formal planning application for the site in late 2018.