Dash for Gas
The Dash for Gas was the 1990s shift by the newly privatized companies in the electricity sector of the United Kingdom towards generation of electricity using natural gas. Gas consumption peaked in 2001 and has been in decline since 2010.
The key reasons for this shift were: (a) political: The privatization of the UK electricity industry in 1990; the regulatory change that allowed gas to be used as a fuel for power generation;[citation needed] (b) economic: the high interest rates of the time, which favoured gas turbine power stations, which were quick to build, over coal and nuclear power stations, which were larger but slower to build; the decline in wholesale gas prices; the desire by the regional electricity companies to diversify their sources of electricity supply and establish a foothold in the profitable generation market; (c) technical: advances in electricity generation technology (specifically combined cycle gas turbine generators (CCGT) with higher relative efficiencies and lower capital costs. An underpinning factor in the dash for gas was the recent development of North Sea gas.
In 1990, gas turbine power stations made up 5% of the UK's generating capacity. By 2002, the new CCGT power stations made up 28% UK generating capacity; gas turbines accounted for a further 2%. It is estimated the Dash for Gas cost £11bn.[1]
Gas-fired power stations with more than 30 MW installed capacity commissioned between 1990 and 2002 are listed below.[2]
| Year of commission or year generation began | Power Station Name | Installed capacity, MW | Location (Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, or English region) | Date of mothballing/ closure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Roosecote Power Station | 229 (before being mothballed in March 2012 pending demolition by spring 2015)[3] | North West England | 2012 |
| 1992 | Teesside Power Station | 1875[4] (45 MW from OCGT after mothballing most of the power station in 2011 [5]) | North East England | 2011 (partial - mothballed) |
| 1993 | Glanford Brigg Power Station | 260 | Yorkshire and the Humber | |
| 1993 | Killingholme B power station | 900 | Yorkshire and the Humber | |
| 1993 | Peterborough Power Station | 405 | East of England | |
| 1993 | Rye House Power Station | 715 | East of England | |
| 1993 | Corby Power Station | 401 | East Midlands | |
| 1994 | Killingholme A power station | 665 | Yorkshire and the Humber | |
| 1994 | Keadby Power Station | 749 | Yorkshire and the Humber | |
| 1994 | Barking Power Station | 1000 | London | |
| 1994 | Derwent Power Station | 228 | East Midlands | 2012 [6] |
| 1994 | Deeside Power Station | 500 | Wales | |
| 1994 | Knapton Power Station | 40 | Yorkshire and the Humber | |
| 1995 | Charterhouse St Power Station | 31 | London | |
| 1995 | Fellside Power Station | 180 | North West England | |
| 1995 | Little Barford Power Station | 665 | East of England | |
| 1995 | Medway Power Station | 688 | South East England | |
| 1996 | Connah's Quay Power Station | 1380 | Wales | |
| 1996 | South Humber Bank Power Station | 1285 | Yorkshire and the Humber | |
| 1996 | Kings Lynn Power Station | 340 | East of England | |
| 1998 | Barry Power Station | 230 | Wales | |
| 1998 | Didcot B Power Station | 1430 | South East England | |
| 1998 | Rocksavage Power Station | 810 | North West England | |
| 1998 | Thornhill Power Station | 50 | Yorkshire and the Humber | |
| 1998 | Seabank 1 Power Station | 812 | South West England | |
| 1999 | Cottam Development Centre | 390 | East Midlands | |
| 1999 | Sutton Bridge Power Station | 819 | East Midlands | |
| 1999 | Enfield Power Station | 408 | London | |
| 1999 | Sandbach Power Station | 50 | North West England | |
| 2000 | Damhead Creek Power Station | 800 | South East England | |
| 2000 | Salt End Power Station | 1200 | Yorkshire and the Humber | |
| 2000 | Seabank 2 Power Station | 410 | South West England | |
| 2000 | Shoreham Power Station | 400 | South East England | |
| 2000 | Fife Power Station | 123 (before closed in March 2011) | Scotland | 2011 |
| 2001 | Coryton Power Station | 753 | East of England | |
| 2001 | Great Yarmouth Power Station | 420 | East of England | |
| 2001 | Shotton Power Station | 45 | Wales | |
| 2002 | Baglan Bay Power Station | 510 | Wales | |
| 2002 | Castleford Power Station | 56 | Yorkshire and the Humber |
References
[edit]- ^ Estimate from Climate Change Capital analysis, quoted in 'Unlocking investment to deliver Britain’s low carbon future: report by the Green Investment Bank Commission. June 2010
- ^ Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics; Table 5.11: Power stations in the United Kingdom, May 2011
- ^ "Roosecote Power Station to be demolished". www.centrica.com. Archived from the original on 9 November 2014.
- ^ Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics; Table 5.11: Power stations in the United Kingdom, May 2004
- ^ "Around 100 jobs in jeopardy at Teesside Power Station - The Journal". www.thejournal.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2014-11-09.
- ^ "Derwent CHP plant set to close at end of 2012". chpa.co.uk. Archived from the original on 16 March 2013.
