Swiss cleantech company Hitachi Zosen Inova AG (HZI) has recently announced that it has won a contract to construct a new Energy-from-Waste (EfW) plant on the Slough Trading Estate near London, England. The project has been developed by a Joint Venture (JV) consisting of energy group SSE Thermal and Copenhagen Infrastructure III K/S, a fund managed by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP). The 46 MWe plant will use around 440 000 tonnes of per annum of waste.
SSE Thermal holds existing planning permission for the facility, which will be located on the Slough Trading Estate in Slough, Berkshire, and has been carrying out site preparation works for the construction project since 2018.
SSE Thermal has agreed to sell a 50 percent stake in its Slough Multifuel project to a fund managed by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP). The 50 MW EfW facility will now be developed as a 50:50 joint venture between SSE Thermal and Copenhagen Infrastructure III K/S, a fund managed by CIP.
We are pleased to confirm the sale of a 50 percent stake in our Slough Multifuel project to CIP, bringing an experienced partner on board and delivering value for our shareholders. When completed, Slough Multifuel will play a key role in the UK’s sustainable waste management, diverting thousands of tonnes of waste away from landfill, and instead, converting it into a valuable source of energy, said Stephen Wheeler, Managing Director of SSE Thermal.
According to CIP, the total investment spend on the project is expected to be around GBP350 million (≈ EUR 401.2 million), divided equally between SSE Thermal and CIP. The consideration due from CIP will be received in line with project milestones being met and will initially contribute to project development spend.
We are excited to be involved in the Slough Multifuel project. The continued partnership with SSE is highly regarded. We look forward to utilizing our unique competences in sustainable investment delivery, and to working with local and leading partners in delivering a modern waste management facility to the highest standards, said Christina Grumstrup Sørensen, a Senior Partner at CIP.
HZI selected as EPC
Energy-from-waste specialist Hitachi Zosen Inova (HZI) has been appointed as the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor for the Slough Multifuel EfW project. Construction on the Slough Trading Estate in Slough, to the west of London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) is expected to commence at the beginning of 2021 and take up to four years.
Following the Ferrybridge Multifuel 1 (FM1) and Ferrybridge Multifuel 2 (FM2) plants in West Yorkshire, the Slough installation is already the third plant built by HZI in conjunction with SSE Thermal, and HZI’s thirteenth project in the UK.
We are delighted to once be again working with HZI as we look to deliver another industry-leading Energy-from-Waste project in the UK. During the construction of both the Ferrybridge Multifuel 1 and 2 projects in West Yorkshire, HZI and SSE were able to work together to deliver the plants safely and reliably, said Stephen Wheeler.
Carefully thought-out installation
The future plant will process around 440 000 tonnes per year of mainly commercial waste from the Greater London Area. The process will generate around 46 MW of electricity that will be fed into the national grid. Additionally, the plant will export up to 23 tonnes of processed steam per hour to a nearby food factory.
The new EfW installation will be constructed on SSE’s site on the Slough Trading Estate where parts of a former plant have been decommissioned and demolished over the last year. One remaining feature of the former plant is the cooling tower which will also be integrated into the new facility.
SSE also owns the existing Slough Heat and Power Plant on the Slough Trading Estate, which continues to supply energy, water, and heat to local customers. Enabling works at the site is ongoing and to be completed by the end of 2020, with the first construction work on the site scheduled for 2021.
The new Slough Multifuel EfWplant is expected to go into full operation in 2024. The completed facility will then be operated by SSE Thermal.
