Two new gas-fired power plants?

The commissioning of two previously-consented gas-fired power stations has inched closer following the signature, by power station developer Carlton Power, of agreements with GE that will help pave the way for more than £2bn of investment and more than 3 GW of new generation capacity in the UK before the end of the decade.

 

Carlton Power has appointed a consortium of GE and two Spanish partners, Tecnicas Reunidas and Ferrovial Agroman as its main engineering contractor for its Trafford Power project near Manchester. In addition, Carlton Power has purchased GE’s interest in the 1500 MW Thorpe Marsh gas-fired power station project, near Doncaster which was consented by the Department of Energy and Climate Change in 2011.

 

Carlton Power will bid both projects into DECC’s Capacity Market Auction, earmarked for December and designed to provide additional power generation for the UK. Construction of the two projects remains subject to the outcome of the auction and Carlton Power’s project financing, although the new power stations could enter commercial operation in 2018 or 2019.

 

The Trafford Power plant would feature three gas turbines, while Thorpe Marsh would utilise two units. Both plants would also include GE’s latest steam turbine and generator technologies. If built, the new plants are expected to reach operating efficiencies approaching 61%, including the use of hybrid cooling towers at Trafford and an air-cooled condenser at Thorpe Marsh. The two projects would be the first in the UK designed with the flexibility and fast start up times required to support expanding intermittent renewable generation.