Tier 1 team appointed to two new UK power plants

Two new power plants will be built in North Lincolnshire as part of a £500 million investment. 

VPI has announced plans to add 349MW of hydrogen-capable power generation to its Immingham operation. 

Scope and delivery 

The expansion includes a 299MW open cycle gas turbine (OCGT), expected to enter service by summer 2025, for which Siemens Energy will provide the gas turbine technology, and industrial conglomerate Mytilineos will lead the engineering, procurement and construction contract. 

Meanwhile Innio has been appointed to the separate 50MW gas reciprocating peaking facility, alongside Clarke Energy, reported Business Live. This project will be operational next year. 

The new “rapid-response generators” will sit alongside the existing 1.2GW combined heat and power (CHP) station at Immingham that has been in operation since 2004. 

Both will use “established technology that has a track record of highly efficient and reliable operation” and will provide dispatchable power quickly to ensure a secure supply during peaks of demand when renewable generation is low. 

Carbon Capture and Storage 

“Under this project a significant proportion of carbon emissions will be captured. This will make it a major source of lower-carbon electricity,” said VPI. 

Planning and permitting applications for carbon capture at the facility as part of the Humber Zero project have also been submitted. VPI has been working with the operators of the Viking Carbon Capture and Storage system. 

VPI estimates more than 3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) will be captured each year (in the first phase), which will be transported to storage in depleted gas fields offshore.  

CEO vision 

“Decarbonising and expanding existing energy production sites can help deliver net zero at lower cost to consumers, maintain energy security, and support local economies across the UK,” said VPI chief executive, Jorge Pikunic.  

“We are expanding Immingham energy hub to offer additional flexibility to the national grid, solving for the system whilst progressing plans to major contribution to the UK’s net zero goals.” 

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