Energy Secretary approves Northwich energy from waste plant
The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Ed Davey, has granted consent for E.ON Energy from Waste and Tata Chemicals Europe to build an energy from waste (EfW) plant at Lostock. Mr Davey's decision comes following a public inquiry, held last autumn.
Martin Ashcroft, Tata Chemicals Europe Managing Director, says: “This decision is excellent news. The plant is designed to provide steam to Tata Chemicals Europe’s Lostock factory. As an energy intensive business, we are faced with ever-rising gas prices which are increasingly difficult to absorb. The new plant will give us fuel price stability which will allow us to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and to plan our long-term future.”
The plant will be built and operated by E.ON Energy from Waste, which currently owns and operates 19 European EfW plants. The fuel will come from pre-treated waste from which economically recyclable materials have been removed and which would otherwise be destined for landfill.
Commenting on the Secretary of State’s decision, Nader Bahri, Director, E.ON Energy from Waste UK Ltd (EEW), added: “This decision is a milestone for EEW in the UK as it is our second UK plant to be granted planning consent. As a result, many tonnes of waste that would otherwise have gone to landfill could now be used to create sustainable energy.”
The Lostock plant will provide about one-third of Tata Chemicals Europe’s energy requirements. It will also allow the existing gas-fired Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant located at Winnington in Northwich to operate at reduced capacity.
Construction of the new plant is likely to begin next year and be operational towards the end of 2016. The construction phase is expected to create hundreds of jobs, with approximately 50 permanent jobs once the plant is commissioned. We will be updating this website during the coming months with information about the plant’s construction.
In the meantime to read the Department of Energy and Climate Change decision in full please click here.