Drax signs new £40m turbine upgrade contract with Siemens

Drax Power, which operates the biggest power station in the UK, has signed a new £40m contract with Siemens for the upgrade of turbines on three of its biomass units.

The upgrades will deliver efficiencies, as well as maintenance savings, which will cut the cost of biomass electricity production at the plant in North Yorkshire.

Set to commence in 2019, the work will take three years to complete, with one biomass unit being upgraded each year as part of its planned overhaul.

The efficiencies will be gained by fitting high tech pipework and valves, with new high efficiency blading and long life seals within the turbines on biomass units 1, 2 and 3.

Andy Koss, Drax Power CEO, said: “We firmly believe that biomass has a long-term role to play in the UK’s energy infrastructure. We’re looking at a number of ways to bring down the costs of our biomass generation – and these turbine upgrades are an important part of that work.

“Reducing the costs of our biomass operations will help to preserve the life of the plant and protect jobs, whilst we continue to produce the flexible, renewable power millions of homes and businesses rely on.”

Darren Davidson, managing director of Power Generation Services, Power and Gas, Siemens, added: “Siemens and Drax have a long-standing and proud partnership so it’s fantastic that we will now help them further develop their biomass solution.

“Once delivered this project will improve plant efficiency and flexibility and provide a further source of low carbon power to UK homes, businesses and services.”

Drax has upgraded three of its coal units to run on biomass with a fourth unit currently being converted – due to return to service later in the summer.

The North Yorkshire power station also plans to repower its remaining two coal units to use gas and develop up to 200MW of battery storage.