Plant owner says 880MW facility will provide flexible back-up for intermittent wind and solar generation
The UK government's plans for a new wave of highly efficient gas power plants received a major boost this week, after it emerged that the Carrington plant near Manchester has become the first new gas power station to come online since 2013.
Reuters reported the 880MW facility, which is capable of providing power to around one million homes, began electricity generation earlier this week.
In a statement emailed to the news agency the plant's owner ESB said the plant will have an important role to play as more renewable energy capacity comes onto the UK's grid.
"Carrington Power Station is the first large-scale gas-fired power plant to come online in Great Britain since 2013," it said. "As well as providing 880MW of reliable baseload electricity, Carrington Power Station will be one of the most flexible plants providing fast back-up to intermittent wind and solar generation when it is needed most."
The project is significant as it is one of the first new energy projects to be supported by the government's capacity market, which offers generators payments to ensure back up power capacity is available. ESB has secured a contract under the scheme to provide capacity during the winter of 2019/20.
The initial auction rounds for the capacity market where criticised for not bringing forward investment in new gas capacity and instead providing subsidies for existing and more carbon intensive coal and diesel power plants.
The government maintains it wants to see new gas capacity to come online to replace coal plants, which it is aiming to phase out by 2025, and provide back up for intermittent renewable energy projects.
However, critics have warned excessive investment in unabated gas plants could undermine the UK's long term carbon targets and insist demand response initiatives, smart grid technologies, energy storage capacity, and baseload renewable energy projects offer a more sustainable alternative to new gas facilities.
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