Work is beginning on the installation of a new 370MW combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) and major refurbishment works at Centrica’s Kings Lynn power station in Norfolk, England. The plant is one of several new Centrica projects, totalling 500MW that won 15 year Capacity Agreements with National Grid to supply power during peak periods from October 2020.
The other new projects are a 49MW battery storage facility at Roosecote in Cumbria, and two 50MW fast response distributed generation gas-fired plants at Brigg in North East Lincolnshire and Peterborough in Cambridgeshire. In addition, Centrica’s existing Langage, South Humber Bank and Brigg gas-fired power stations and all 16 reactors in the UK’s operational nuclear fleet, were awarded one year Capacity Agreements starting in October 2020.
Relatively low margins, combined with displacement by renewables has meant that it has not been economically viable to build new gas plant in the UK without subsidy. But with coal fired and nuclear plants being closed down, and renewables not guaranteed to produce all the time, the UK’s reserve margin has been falling – leading to the Capacity Market auctions and resulting additional capacity/flexibility.
Four other new large-scale CCGT projects bid at the capacity auction alongside the winner, Kings Lynn A. They included Intergen’s Spalding and London Gateway, Scottish Power’s Damhead Creek, Carlton Power’s Thorpe Marsh and Powersite’s Drakelow.
The Kings Lynn project was given the final go-ahead in December last year, and construction of the facilities, which have been designed to respond to peaks in demand, is beginning this month. Originally commissioned in 1997, Kings Lynn was mothballed in 2012 when the plant became uneconomic to run. The new turbine is being supplied and installed by Siemens who will also be replacing the plant control system and performing major overhauls to other elements within the main power train. CMI have been appointed to perform a repowering of the boiler while TEi have been appointed to perform upgrades to the water steam cycle.
“Improving the efficiency of our local power station is good news for the local environment. Every increase in efficiency is more power generated for fewer natural resources,” said Councillor Brian Long, Leader of the Borough Council of Kings Lynn and West Norfolk.
Jorge Pikunic, Managing Director of Centrica’s Distributed Energy & Power business said: “We’re very pleased to be in a position to make these important investments in new flexible generation and battery storage, which will play a crucial role in securing power supplies and supporting network stability as more renewables come online.”
“We believe there is also an opportunity for businesses and other large energy users to get involved, which is why we’re helping them unlock new revenue streams and make their sites more resilient by installing their own on site facilities, or by optimising their existing energy assets.”
Centrica’s battery storage facility will be one of the world’s largest of its kind, and will be able to respond to fluctuations in demand in under a second. The new fast response plants in Cumbria will use gas engines to generate power, with response times of under two minutes.
