Step forward for energy projects at former power station

Proposals for a pair of energy projects at the site of the former Eggborough coal power station in North Yorkshire have taken a step forward.EP UK Investments Ltd has obtained provisional 15-year new build contracts for a 1,700MW high-efficiency H-class Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) power project and a 299MW two-hour battery storage project at the site.The site was bought by EPH in 2015 as part of its acquisition of Eggborough Power Ltd, the business behind a former 2,000MW coal plant that was decommissioned in 2018.Subject to final investment decision, the new projects are expected to contribute to the provision of indigenous generation and energy security through the 2020s and into the 2030s.Tom Bains, chief executive at EPUKI, said: “The capacity market result represents another step in our investment strategy, focused on delivering reliable and climate-friendly power generation sources.”We are proud that once completed, these projects will constitute in excess of a £1bn investment in the UK economy, deliver one of the most modern power plants in Europe being carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) and hydrogen ready, and help to guarantee security of supply when inflexible renewable generation cannot satisfy demand.”The high-efficiency H-class CCGT project is set to be the single largest flexible generation asset to be commissioned in the UK since 2012, while the battery project will also be one of the largest to be built in the UK to date.The contracts were awarded as part of the Capacity Market auction for the 2026/2027 Delivery Year held on 21 February. The provisional clearing price, subject to secretary of state approval, was £63/kW/yr.