South Hook CHP plant moves a step closer to being built
South Hook Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant in Pembrokeshire a step closer to completion after UK Government announces planning consent.
South Hook Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant in Pembrokeshire, Wales is a step closer to being completed after the UK Government announced today that planning consent had been granted for the project which will provide enough electricity to power 900,000 homes.
It’s expected that there will be several hundred jobs created during construction of the plant, as well as around 30 full time jobs during its operation. The plant will supply around 500MW of electricity, and will also supply heat to the neighbouring Liquefied Natural Gas Plant.
The next step in the process is now for the owners of the project to make a final investment decision on the project.
Secretary of State for Energy Edward Davey said:
“In addition to creating hundreds of jobs during the construction phrase, this plant makes an important contribution to reducing carbon emissions in the energy sector and provides flexible generating capacity.”
“CHP is a highly efficient means of generating power that can lower costs, increase efficiency and reduce carbon emissions from heating and power generation.”
Wales Office Minister Baroness Randerson added:
“This is very good news for Wales, and for the UK. Investment in new energy infrastructure is essential if we are to keep the lights on and bills and emissions down. Combined Heat and Power is a highly efficient process which has an important role to play in providing us with a variety of energy generation technologies, which will help to secure our energy future.
“I look forward to seeing the plans for the South Hook CHP plant as they develop over the coming months.”
If a positive investment decision is reached, construction on the new plant is scheduled to commence in 2015 and is expected to be completed by the end of 2018.
Notes for editors:
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Combined heat and power (CHP) is a highly efficient process that captures and utilises the heat that is a by-product of the electricity generation process. By generating heat and power simultaneously, CHP can reduce carbon emissions by up to 30% compared to the separate means of conventional generation via a boiler and power station.
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The South Hook CHP project would supply heat to the neighbouring LNG import terminal for use in the process of converting the liquefied natural gas back into a gaseous state before injecting it into the gas grid. Heat for regasification is currently supplied from natural gas combustion.
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More information on CHP is avilable on the GOV.UK website