Kilroot power plant to be switched from coal to gas

Kilroot power station in Northern Ireland, one of the UK's last operating coal plants, is set to be converted to run on gas.

Czech energy group EP UK Investments (EPUKI) revealed this week that it has secured a 10-year contract for gas generation at the plant through an Irish energy capacity auction held in late March.

The decades-old coal plant, which EPUKI acquired from US firm AES last July, was facing closure in 2024.

A spokesperson for the company said: ‘'We are delighted that all units have been successful in the most recent T-4 auction meaning that new, flexible, low carbon gas generation can be developed on the Kilroot site.''

They added: "This will ensure the transition towards low carbon generation as well as protecting security and stability of supply for Northern Ireland through the continuation of indigenous generation.''

The conversion of the County Antrim facility comes as Great Britain witnesses its longest-ever period of coal-free power since the Industrial Revolution. As of today, the grid has gone 27 consecutive days without coal-generated electricity, largely due to record amounts of renewable power generation and drastically reduced power demand resulting from the coronavirus lockdown.

The near-month long stretch, which is set to significantly reduce carbon emissions, has steamed past the previous record, an 18-day stint that ended on 4 June 2019.

Following the closure of two further coal plants earlier this year, the UK's shrinking coal plant fleet now consists of two units at the Drax plant in Yorkshire, which are set to be converted to gas, and the West Burton and Ratcliffe-on-Soar power stations in Nottinghamshire.

• Tweet  
• Facebook  
• LinkedIn  
• Send to  

• Topics
• Energy
• Natural Gas