Gateway energy centre announced

InterGen announced its proposal today to develop the Gateway Energy Centre, a modern 900-megawatt (MW) gas-fired power station within the London Gateway Logistics Park, next to the London Gateway Port on the north bank of the River Thames near Corringham in Essex.

The proposed project represents an investment of £600 million and will generate enough power to supply approximately one million homes. Additionally, the Energy Centre will supply all the necessary power for the London Gateway Logistics Park.

InterGen already operates the existing 800MW gas-fired Coryton power station approximately 1km east of the proposed Gateway Energy Centre. The proposed development demonstrates InterGen’s strong support for additional efficient thermal power generating capacity in the UK. Developments of this type are essential if the UK is to meet its Climate Change objectives and forecast generation capacity requirement.

The project is in the early stages of the development process and InterGen is committed to consulting key stakeholders and local communities on its plans. Following two public consultation exhibitions and meetings with a range of organisations, InterGen will finalise its planning application for submission to The Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC), who will assess the proposal.

“We are delighted to announce the proposed development of Gateway Energy Centre,” said Mark Somerset, InterGen’s General Manager in the UK. “This demonstrates InterGen’s commitment to playing a role in providing additional vital energy supplies for the UK and reinforces our position as the country’s leading independent energy generator.”

Notes to the Editor

InterGen has developed one third of the UK’s new generating capacity installed in the last ten years (an investment of approximately £1.4 billion) and currently operates three natural gas-fired facilities at Coryton (Essex), Rocksavage (Cheshire) and Spalding (Lincolnshire). These three plants provide 6% of the country’s necessary energy, making InterGen the UK’s largest independent gas-fired power producer. Its gas-fired power plants are among the cleanest and most technologically advanced in the world.

Over the next ten years, a number of existing coal-fired and nuclear power stations will close. The proposed Gateway Energy Centre will help ensure that this electricity is replaced so that the UK has sufficient energy to meet demand in future years.

Natural gas is the cleanest way to generate electricity from fossil fuels. It is much cleaner and more efficient than coal, with approximately 50% fewer carbon dioxide emissions and is 50% more efficient. The Government aims to provide 30% of electricity from renewable sources by 2020 but the majority will still be sourced from more conventional sources such as coal and gas.

InterGen NV is a Netherlands-based company.

For further details, please contact:
Melissa McKerrow
InterGen Head of Public Affairs
gatewayenergycentre@intergen.com
0131 624 7337