rwe npower – who we are - gas & electricity energy …wcms/documents/digital... ·...
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RW
E n
po
wer – w
ho
we a
re
RWE npower – who we are
RWE npower, part of the RWE Group, is a leading UK energy company.
RWE npower is committed to conducting its business with a sense of
responsibility for the environment, its customers and for the
communities in which it operates.
RWE npower’s retail business, npower, is the UK’s
largest electricity supplier, with around 6.8 million
residential and business energy customers. RWE
npower also owns and operates a diverse portfolio
of coal, oil and gas-fired power stations in the
UK and has the capacity to generate over 9,000
megawatts of electricity, enough for around nine
million homes.
RWE npower manages almost 2,000 megawatts
of cogeneration (combined heat and power) plant.
Used at major industrial sites and by other large
consumers of energy, cogeneration schemes
generate electricity and provide heat to nearby
industrial facilities which would otherwise have
to generate by other means, using more primary
energy resource. In 2006 alone it is estimated
that RWE npower’s cogeneration saved 1.5 million
tonnes of CO2, compared to conventional
generation.
npower renewables is one of the UK's leading
renewable energy companies, dedicated to
generating electricity using sustainable,
environmentally-friendly resources. It has a
wide-ranging portfolio that includes more than
460 megawatts of onshore and offshore wind
farms and hydroelectric plants. In addition,
through the npower Juice Fund, the company
is involved in research to harness the power
of waves and tides – another source of clean,
sustainable electricity generation.
As demand for electricity increases in the UK and
existing generating plants are retired, RWE npower
is committed to investing in new gas, coal and
renewable power generation to maintain secure,
sustainable and affordable electricity supply into
the future.
RWE npower intends to be a good neighbour
in the construction and operation of the power
station and is fully committed to corporate
responsibility. This means considering the
social and environmental aspects of its operations,
working with the community to maximise positive
effects and minimise any negative impacts.
Responsible business practices are integral to
everything RWE npower does, from purchasing
fuel to servicing customers.
Staythorpe
Power Station
RW
E n
po
wer – A
histo
ry in
Sta
yth
orp
e
RWE npower – A history at Staythorpe
RWE npower, and its predecessor National Power, has been involved in
generating power at Staythorpe for over half a century. In fact, several
generations of Staythorpe Power Station employees and their families
still live in the local area. Over the years RWE npower has delivered
significant investment into the local economy and provided support for
many community projects. We intend to continue working with the local
community and are committed to being a good neighbour.
The first power station was built at Staythorpe
immediately after the Second World War and used
six 60 megawatt turbines to achieve the required
360MW output. However, demand for electricity
was growing fast. More power stations were
needed to ensure continuity of supply to homes
and industrial users and the second Staythorpe
power station opened in 1962.
At the time of its opening, the second power
station was one of the most modern and efficient
coal-fired power stations anywhere in the country,
far outstripping its sister station. Whereas the first
station used six 60 megawatt turbines to achieve
the required 360MW output, the second station
could produce the same power with just three
turbines.
In 1961 a sculpture, Power in Trust, was
commissioned and stood as a focal point between
the two power stations at Staythorpe reflecting
a power-generating turbine cradled in a ‘hand’
of boiler tubes. Whilst the two stations have since
been demolished, the sculpture lives on and is set
to become an integral part of the new scheme.
By the 1970s, the first power station was showing
its age; overtaken by a new generation of more
powerful and efficient coal and oil-fired stations
and it was decommissioned during the 1970s.
The second station was demolished in the 1990s.
In 1993, following full public consultation and a
public inquiry, planning approval was granted for a
gas fired power station at Staythorpe. Construction
began in 1998 but was put on hold two years later,
as there was already sufficient generating capacity in
the UK at that time.
However, closure of ageing plants and environmental
regulation mean that the UK once again requires
significant new generating capacity. Therefore, in
May 2007 RWE npower announced its plans to build
a £600m state-of-the-art Combined Cycle Gas Turbine
(CCGT) power station at Staythorpe.
RWE npower’s plans for a new 1650MW CCGT at
Staythorpe mean that it will once again play a crucial
role in UK power generation and the economic
success of the area, well into the 21st century.
The original Staythorpe Power Station (1960’s)
Staythorpe
Power Station
A new power station – why we need to build it
European Legislation (Large Combustion Plant Directive) means that
many existing coal and oil plants are required to close by the end of
2015. In addition, the majority of nuclear plants will close by 2020
as they reach the end of their operational lives.
Despite efforts to improve energy efficiency, we
expect that demand for electricity will continue
to increase in this period and as a result it is
estimated that the UK will require around 30
gigawatts of new capacity, nearly 50% of the
total existing capacity, by 2020. This clearly
creates a need for a sustained period of
investment, starting now, if we are to keep the
lights on in the future.
As set out in the Government’s recent Energy
White Paper, the nation needs a diverse mix of
generation to maintain a secure, sustainable and
affordable electricity supply for years to come.
However, the first phase of new capacity at this
scale can only be delivered by gas-fired power
stations. Coal, nuclear and wind generation
are constrained by the availability of sites,
the requirement for planning approval and
in the case of wind, scale.
The new state-of-the-art power station at
Staythorpe will make a significant contribution
to ongoing energy supply while helping to cut
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions. With established
gas and electrical network connections and a
substantial amount of civil work already done,
Staythorpe provides the ideal location.
The new power station will have a total
generating capacity of 1650 megawatts
and will produce enough electricity to
power around two million homes.
At the same time as developing new, efficient
power stations, RWE npower continues to invest
heavily in renewable generation. As one of the
largest developers and operators of renewables,
npower believes it can meet current UK targets
of supplying 20 per cent of our electricity from
renewable sources by 2020.
Staythorpe
Power Station
Wh
y w
e n
eed
to b
uild
it
A new station - what we will build
RWE npower has unveiled plans for a new state-of-the-art 1650MW
Combined Cycle Gas turbine (CCGT) power station at Staythorpe.
The new station will cost over £600 million to build and will be
operational by 2010.
The new power station highlights RWE npower’s
long-term commitment to supporting Staythorpe
and the surrounding areas and the new station
will bring a number of long-term benefits. These
include 80 permanent jobs at the station and
lasting investment in the local economy. In total,
the new power station will bring around £10
million into the local economy every year.
Staythorpe Power Station will be a compact
industrial facility located on a brownfield site
that housed the two previous coal stations.
The power station will comprise four generating
units, each around 400MW, with the combined
ability to generate power for almost two million
homes, or in other words, the whole of
Nottinghamshire.
The new gas fired power station will be a state-
of-the-art facility that is clean, quiet, efficient
and a significant improvement on the power
stations of the 1950s and 60s. Generating
electricity from gas is more efficient than
generating electricity from coal. Gas also
contains less carbon than coal. These two
factors result in gas-fired generation emitting
around half the CO2
emissions when compared to
coal. Gas also contains only trace amounts
of sulphur so there will be virtually no sulphur
dioxide emitted from Staythorpe Power Station.
RWE npower received planning consent for
Staythorpe in 1993 and began construction
in 1998. Construction was put on hold in 2000
as UK Generators had developed enough power
stations to fulfil the electricity demand at the
time. The original consent remains valid today,
but we are working closely with the local
authorities to ensure that the latest, cleanest
technology can be employed.
Staythorpe
Power Station
A n
ew
statio
n - w
hat w
e w
ill bu
ild
What the new power station will look like
The new gas fired power station at Staythorpe will generate four times
as much electricity as the previous coal-fired power stations, equivalent
to supplying all the homes in Nottinghamshire. However, modern
CCGT's are compact facilities compared to old coal fired stations and
RWE npower is committed to limiting the visual impact of the new
Staythorpe Power Station.
RWE npower has chosen the colours carefully,
opting for ‘goose wing grey’ to ensure it blends in
with the skyline. RWE npower has to design the
power station so it is built within the existing
site, in a position to minimise any visual impact.
This is supported by landscaping and significant
planting of trees and shrubbery. The power
station island is surrounded by mature trees,
in fact during initial works in 2000, 50,000
new trees were planted.
Staythorpe
Power Station
Wh
at th
e n
ew
po
wer sta
tion
will lo
ok like
How the new power station will affectthe local community
The new power station at Staythorpe will significantly benefit the local
community by providing jobs and continuing investment in the local
economy. Every effort will also be taken to minimise any disruption
caused by construction and eventual operation of the power station.
RWE npower has a long-term commitment to
Staythorpe and the surrounding area. Through
links with local authorities, conservation groups,
schools and colleges, the new power station will
play an active role in the neighbouring
community. The power station will also provide
significant benefits by providing long-term
employment as well as contributing to the local
economy.
Staythorpe Power Station will also fund, sponsor
and support local educational and environmental
initiatives. As part of the initial development, RWE
npower contributed to a number of community
schemes, including the funding of a school
extension and playground equipment, along with
providing numerous smaller contributions to local
societies and parish organisations.
RWE npower constantly evaluates and measures
its investments to ensure its community partners
are continually benefiting. It is committed to
developing long-term relationships with
community partners focusing on three key themes
of education, environment and health. In 2006,
over 20,000 students learned about energy and
power through the interactive Power Day events
that take place in local schools around RWE
npower’s operating sites. It also provides
students and teachers with opportunities to
increase their awareness of the ‘World of Work’
through work placements and free Power Pack
resources. In addition, RWE npower has attracted
young people into the industry through the
Advanced Apprenticeship programme, a four-year
training scheme in disciplines relevant to the
power industry.
Staythorpe
Power Station
Th
e lo
cal co
mm
un
ity
How the new station could affect the environment
RWE npower is committed to limiting the impact of any new
development on the environment. The new gas-fired power station
will be designed using state-of-the-art equipment and will emit less
than half the carbon dioxide, per unit of electricity, than the previous
coal-fired stations at Staythorpe.
The new power station will also help to
significantly reduce the impact on the wider
environment. Modern gas fired power stations
are compact and clean industrial facilities, and
before we can begin generation, we will require
a permit from the Environment Agency.
Therefore, the new state-of-the-art CCGT power
station will be far more environmentally friendly
than its predecessor, producing less than half
the CO2
per unit than an existing coal station.
Modern gas-fired power stations are
compact and clean industrial facilities.
During construction and operation RWE
npower will closely monitor all environmental
impacts from the power station.
The local environmental impact at Staythorpe
is minimised by the characteristics of the new
power station:
• Gas is brought direct to the site by an existing
pipeline, so there is no requirement for transport
of the main fuel to site
• As the power station burns gas, there is no
residue from the combustion process and
no by-products requiring disposal
• Natural gas contains almost no sulphur and
combustion is controlled to ensure negligible
impact on local air quality
RWE npower will make every effort to cause as
little disruption to the local environment and
wildlife as possible, with important habitats
and species being retained or relocated and
re-established. In depth studies into how the
new power station might affect local wildlife
have already been carried out, ensuring the
sites biodiversity is protected.
RWE npower is firmly committed to the
environment and at existing power stations
has set up Energy and Environment Centres
as a resource for schools, researchers and other
interest groups to explore the surrounding
habitat and learn more about energy generation.
Staythorpe
Power Station
Th
e e
nviro
nm
en
t
Economic benefits
A new power station is a major, long-term investment by RWE npower
in the area.
The new power station will create up to
80 permanent jobs, ranging from skilled
operating and maintenance staff to
professional engineering, environmental,
management and security staff.
The new power station will cost over £600
million to construct and will continue to provide
more than £10 million of investment into the
local economy every year, due to employment
and expenditure with local businesses and
services. This will help to provide a solid basis
for the continued economic success of the area.
Staythorpe
Power Station
Eco
no
mic b
en
efits
Managing construction traffic
Construction of a new power station is a major project, and while every
effort will be made to keep disruption to a minimum, RWE npower
recognises that construction traffic is likely to be a concern locally.
RWE npower is carrying out studies, which will be used to reduce the
impact of construction traffic and are currently developing a plan.
This includes:
• Exploring the use of the River Trent where
possible, and routing traffic to avoid
problem areas
• Looking at on site construction techniques
that reduce construction traffic
• Informing local residents of the timings
of key deliveries
• Use of suitable routes for construction
lorries that have been agreed with the
local planning authority
RWE npower is committed to managing the
construction phase of Staythorpe Power Station
in a responsible way. Where there may be an
impact, we will work closely with the community
to mitigate effects. RWE npower is committed to
keeping the community updated regularly.
RWE npower will shortly be entering a detailed
design phase with its contractor and is working
with the local planning authority and stakeholders
to secure the best possible scheme for Staythorpe.
RWE npower plan to be on site this autumn (2007)
with full construction underway by the start
of 2008.
One of the key advantages of Staythorpe is that
extensive works have already been carried out on
site, including:
• Completion of a dedicated 40km underground
pipeline bringing gas direct to the site
• Significant civil works including preparation for
foundations and installation of permanent site
access and perimeter roads
• Substantial landscaping including the planting
of over 50,000 trees which have now matured
These advanced works will reduce the
construction programme and ensure that
Staythorpe Power Station can deliver the
generating capacity urgently required in the UK.
Staythorpe
Power Station
Man
ag
ing
con
structio
n tra
ffic