UK gives green light for Sembcorp’s proposed 1.7GW Tees Power Project
The UK government has given development consent to Sembcorp Utilities’ proposed 1,700MW Tees combined cycle power plant (CCPP).
The consent was given by the UK Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy allows the firm to design, build and operate a new 1.7GW combined cycle gas turbine power plant at the 2,000-acre complex.
Sembcorp had submitted the application for the construction of the project to the UK Planning Inspectorate in 2017, following which it was accepted and underwent examination. A recommendation was later made to the Secretary of State in January 2019.
The UK Planning Inspectorate chief executive Sarah Richards said: “The Planning Inspectorate has again demonstrated its ability to examine nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIPs) within timescales laid down in the Planning Act 2008.
“This provides developers and investors with the confidence to build and improve the infrastructure this country needs to secure future economic growth.”
The project will utilise existing Gas and National Grid connections on the site of the former Teesside Power Station located at Greystone Road, Grangetown, Middlesbrough.
Tees CCPP is the third major project to be approved by the UK government in 2019, following the development consents for Tilbury 2 port facility and Millbrook Power project.
Expected to play a significant role in securing the UK’s energy future, the Tees CCPP Project marks major step towards the future development of the Wilton International site on Teesside which is claimed to be one of the UK’s most important manufacturing sites.
Capable of generating electricity required to power up to 1.5 million households, the power project will require the support of hundreds of people in its supply chain over its operational life of around 30 years.
It is expected to create 1,000 jobs during three-year construction phase and a further 60 to 80 permanent new jobs once the plant enters service.
