Energy Secretary has granted consent for a 60MW energy from waste plant to be built by Tata Steel Chemicals and E.ON Energy from Waste UK (EEW).
The plant will be built at Lostock in Northwich, and the decision comes after a Public Inquiry that took place at the end of 2011.
The plant will be built and operated by EEW and provide about one third of Tata Chemicals Europe’s energy requirements for its chemicals facility in Northwich.
It will also allow the existing gas-fired combined heat and power plant at Winnington in Northwich to run at a reduced capacity.
Tata Chemicals Europe managing director Martin Ashcroft said: “This decision is excellent news. The plant is designed to provide steam to Tata Chemicals Europe’s Lostock factory.
“As an energy intensive business, we are faced with ever-rising gas prices which are increasingly difficult to absorb. The new plant will give us fuel price stability which will allow us to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and to plan our long-term future.”
EEW director Nader Bahri said: “This decision is a milestone for EEW in the UK as it is our second UK plant to be granted planning consent. As a result, many tonnes of waste that would otherwise have gone to landfill could now be used to create sustainable energy.”
EEW operates 19 energy from waste plants across Europe.
