The 33MW plant will burn up to 320,000 tonnes of waste per year, and is expected to take up to 35% of its feedstock from councils within the Somerset Waste Partnership. It will also serve as a merchant facility, with the remaining waste likely to be filled by commercial and industrial (C&I) waste demand.
Planning permission for the facility was granted in 2011 and was upheld by the High Court despite a legal challenge from Bristol city council. Plans to further develop the plant had been put on ice until an announcement that the plant would go ahead last autumn.
The ‘flagship’ plant will be the twelfth energy facility to be delivered by Viridor and is expected to begin operations in 2020.
Technology
Industrial engineering contractor CNIM will provide the technology for the facility and Clugston has been appointed as the building and civils contractor. Construction will start this summer, with more than 600 people working on site during peak construction and 45 permanent roles created during operations.
CNIM and Clugston have worked on previous projects with Viridor, including the company’s Ardley EfW plant in Oxfordshire (see letsrecycle.com story).
Viridor’s managing director Phil Piddington, said: “We’re delighted to team up with CNIM and Clugston to progress this flagship facility using proven technology and respected, established partners. The development creates an exciting opportunity to support the South West community and Bristol’s progress towards creating a low carbon economy, following the city’s successful year as European Green Capital.”
Nicolas Dmitrieff, CNIM chairman, commented: “Viridor is a market leader in the UK’s energy from waste sector and we’re very happy to be joining forces again on this important project, harnessing innovative technology which has been successfully deployed on many ERF sites across the UK and abroad.”
Steve Radcliffe, managing director of Clugston Construction, added: “Once again we are pleased to be working for Viridor and continuing the long association we have with CNIM on what will be our 11th joint energy recovery scheme. We are developing our mobilisation plans in preparation for commencing site activities later this summer. This will include meeting suppliers and the business community in the region to help us identify and source services locally wherever possible.”
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