Rugeley Power Station to close

joshua

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http://www.staffordshirenewsletter....oss-150-jobs/story-28693028-detail/story.html


Rugeley Power Station to close - leading to loss of 150 jobs


By Staffordshire Newsletter | Posted: February 08, 2016

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Rugeley Power Station to close - leading to loss of 150 jobs



RUGELEY Power Station is expected to close, leading to a potential loss of 150 jobs.

The facility, owned by ENGIE and Mitsui and Co, will cease market operations in early summer 2016 due to "the deterioration in market conditions for UK coalfired power generation".

Bosses say the closure will potentially lead to the loss of 150 jobs, subject to the outcome of an employee consultation exercise, and any further discussions with government bodies.

David Alcock, CEO of ENGIE's Energy Infrastructure division in the UK, said: "It is with deep regret that we have had to make this decision at Rugeley. Our priority now is to support the employees and help them through this period.

"We implemented a number of changes at Rugeley a year ago in order to help maintain operations at the site but a combination of falling prices and the impact of various market changes has now made this unviable.

"We will of course keep all options for the power station under review, and will maintain dialogue with all stakeholders as we proceed with the employee consultation process. I would personally like to thank everyone at Rugeley for their contribution to our business and for their loyal service to the Power Station."

A spokesman said: "During the consultation period, ENGIE will seek to identify redeployment opportunities elsewhere across the business, in line with the Group's ongoing commitment to employees. A number of ongoing roles are expected to be required to support decommissioning and redevelopment of the site.

"Unfortunately market conditions for UK coal plant have deteriorated rapidly in recent years, as a result of a continued fall in power prices on the back of commodity market decline, and increases in carbon costs.

"Under such conditions, there is no prospect of the power station recovering its future operating costs."

ENGIE is one of the UK's largest independent power producers. Rugeley Power Station, also known as Rugeley "B" has been in operation since 1970. Rugeley "A" station, built on the same site back in the 1950s, was decommissioned in 1996.
 

Wormella

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Took me a second to work out that was the amazon warehouse at the front of that picture...
 
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c0tt0nt0p

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Its sad that its closing but its been on the cards for years (5+)....no one at all should be surprised in the slightest.....
 

Noah

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In 2006 they added very expensive desulphurization plant and 2013 they were talking about conversion to biomass. Forward planning?
 

John Marwood

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The horizon will never look the same again. ..minus the huge vapour clouds...

( steam is not visible )

Source: F Scotsman
 

c0tt0nt0p

Well-Known Forumite
In 2006 they added very expensive desulphurization plant and 2013 they were talking about conversion to biomass. Forward planning?

The move to biomass was thought as the next big thing but operators have had problems. Rwe npower were using part of Tilbury power station to run on biomass but a fire in 2012 set it back to the point that in the end they mothballed it....
 

c0tt0nt0p

Well-Known Forumite
Shouldn't we actually be building more power stations before tearing down our existing (coal burning) ones?
Totally agree, but this and previous governments have sat on the fence so long they've scared off enough investors and for those who are investing in the new age nuclear power station being built (with Chinese money) have arranged what seems to be a ridiculously high strike price (arranged price) for when the power station is built.....
Gas power stations are good as they can be built very quickly (18 months or so)....
 
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bpelectric

Well-Known Forumite
Totally agree, but this and previous governments have sat on the fence so long they've scared off enough investors and for those who are investing in the new age nuclear power station being built (with Chinese money) have arranged what seems to be a ridiculously high strike price (arranged price) for when the power station is built.....
Gas power stations are good as they can be built very quickly (18 months or so)....
And Mutti Merkels now building Coal Fired Stations
 
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