Case Study - Investing in a new CCGT power station at West Burton
Following an application made to the UK government back in 2005, comprehensive environmental studies and a lengthy public consultation, we have received the go-ahead to build a new 1300 MW CCGT power station at West Burton. CCGT, short for ‘Combined Cycle Gas Turbine’ is the most energy efficient and clean method of fossil fuel power generation and when complete, the new power station will play an important role in reducing EDF Energy’s environmental impacts.
Sutton Bridge, EDF Energy's gas-fired power station
The consent, gives us the green light to proceed to the next stage of the project – with an extensive Environmental Impact Assessment now completed, along with public consultations that allowed us to meet local residents and other interested parties and discuss their concerns about the proposed project. When complete, the plant will have a capacity of around 1300 MW – enough electricity to meet the needs of around 1.5 million homes.
Our investment in CCGT supports our plans to diversify our energy generation mix. It does not reduce the impact of the other plants. It reduces the overall carbon intensity of EDF Energy generation portfolios. It also reduces UK plc total generation emissions.
CCGT is the most energy efficient and clean method of fossil fuel power generation – burning natural gas to turn an electricity-generating gas turbine and also recycling waste heat to the steam required to drive an electricity-generating steam turbine.
The West Burton B plant will help to address a potential shortfall in generation capacity, which could have an impact as soon as 2016 if action isn’t taken. CCGT has a role to play, but we believe that other energy technologies are needed too. Our recent submission to the government’s nuclear consultation made our views clear: we believe that the UK’s existing nuclear capacity needs to be replaced as part of a broad investment in low carbon energy.