Industry leading energy from waste (EfW) operator and developer Wheelabrator Technologies has secured the right to purchase 19.5 acres of land at the Skelton Grange site in Leeds from Harworth Group plc.
The site, adjacent to Junction 45 of the M1 in east Leeds, already has planning consent for a 300,000 tonne per annum energy-from-waste facility with a planning application to vary the capacity up to 410,000 tonnes expected to be submitted later this year. The project is currently being developed by Wheelabrator Technologies with the support of Multifuel Energy Limited (MEL), a 50:50 joint venture between Wheelabrator Technologies and Scottish and Southern Energy. Heads of Terms have been signed with Beauparc to act as the sole supplier to the facility, and financial close is targeted for mid-2020.
The MEL joint venture currently operates Ferrybridge Multifuel 1 (FM1), a 675,000 tonnes-per-year facility in West Yorkshire and is currently completing the construction of a second 675,000 tonne per year facility Ferrybridge Multifuel 2 (FM2), which is expected to reach commercial operations in Q4 2019.
Acquiring nearly 20 acres at Skelton Grange to create another energy-from-waste site is another major milestone for Wheelabrator and our joint venture partnership with SSE. We remain committed to investing in new long-term waste infrastructure in the U.K. – building and operating new energy-from-waste facilities that divert residential and business waste from landfill and produce renewable baseload energy for the local communities in which we operate.
Paul Green, Vice President of Business Development for Wheelabrator
We are excited to be part of this new development that enables us to enhance and expand our activities close to the M62 corridor whilst also continuing to supply fuel to the Ferrybridge 1 energy-from-waste facility.
Brian McCabe, Managing Director of Beauparc
We are extremely pleased to have been able to conclude negotiations with a business that has a proven track record in delivering energy-from-waste in the U.K. and U.S. The project will bring much needed renewable energy and employment opportunities to the region, unlocking the development of a site that has been vacant since the former power station on the site was demolished in 1990.
Ian Ball, Chief Operating Officer at Harworth