Fuel plant to bring £10m of investment and 500 jobs

Energy company SSE has confirmed it will go ahead with the development of a multi-fuel plant at Ferrybridge, which could bring £10m to the local economy.
Ferrybridge C Power StationFerrybridge C Power Station
Ferrybridge C Power Station

Construction of the £360m Ferrybridge Multifuel 2 (FM2) is expected to begin later this year. And the three-year build could create 500 construction jobs as well as contract opportunities.

Charlie Cryans, head of construction for SSE, said: “SSE’s decision to take the FM2 project through to construction is positive for our businesses, but also represents a £360 million investment, which will provide a range of benefits for the local area which we have a long association with.”

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The company announced it would proceed with the development earlier this week, three months after Ferrybridge C Power Station closed for the final time, following 50 years of operation in Knottingley.

SSE announced last year that it would shut the coal-fired station because the site was deemed to be “no longer economical”.

The closure saw around half the remaining workers lose their jobs. Others are in the process of completing decommissioning work.

The government granted planning consent for FM2 in October last year. It will be built next to Ferrybridge Multifuel 1 (FM1), a £300m plant which opened last July, on land at the Ferrybridge C site.

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When complete, FM2 will be able to generate around 70MW of electricity, enough to power around 170,000 homes.

SSE said the plant would bring an estimated £10m to the economy through spending in restaurants, hotels and local businesses.

Swiss company Hitachi Zosen Inova (HZI), which was contracted to build FM1, has also been selected as contractor for the new development.

CEO Franz-Josef Mengede said: “We are delighted to be working with SSE to build the second Multifuel project at Ferrybridge.

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“Our experience during the construction of the now operational FM1 plant will be invaluable in helping us to deliver this second plant and meet the high standards required by SSE.”

Mr Cryans said: “We will be holding a Meet the Buyer event in the coming weeks which will provide local businesses and suppliers with the opportunity to meet the main contractor for the project, and pitch their products and services.”

The Meet the Buyer session is expected to take place later this summer.

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