Friday's (January 15) announcement by the joint venture set up to run the plant, Lakeside Energy from Waste Ltd, marks a significant step forward for the project at Colnbrook, near Slough, after its opening was delayed from 2008 due to technical problems (see letsrecycle.com story).
“The original delays with the plant related to pressure testing on part of the boiler system known as the economisers. These issues have now been resolved,” she told letsrecycle.com.
The hand-over to Grundon and Viridor comes after Itochu-Takuma, the plant's engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor, completed a 14-day trial to demonstrate it's operability in relation to waste combustion, energy generation and connection to the National Grid.
The next stage for the plant will be a staggered inspection shutdown, over eight days, where the facility's two lines will be shut down in turn and inspected.
After this, the operators plan to run 60 days of performance trials to demonstrate the facility's reliability and to test various parameters relating to contract performance.
The spokeswoman explained: “After the shutdown period the 60 days of performance trials will be run at full capacity in terms of both waste input and power generation.”
Councils
A number of councils and their contractors have committed to sending their waste for treatment at the Lakeside facility, including Poole, Wiltshire (see letsrecycle.com story) and the 'RE3' partnership involving three Berkshire councils and their contractor Waste Recycling Group (see letsrecycle.com story). West London Waste Authority is also understood to be sending about 25,000 tonnes to the plant.
However, a spokeswoman for Lakeside said the company could not comment on the identity of the councils who would be sending waste to the facility, as the informtion is “commercially confidential”.
The take-over announcement was accompanied by the news that Danny Coulston has been appointed as the new general manager of Lakeside Energy From Waste Ltd.
The company said it was “delighted” to announce the appointment of 47-year-old Mr Coulston's, who has an engineering background, to the post.
Subscribe for free