The construction of the main plant structure is set to begin later this year on the SITA Sembcorp energy from waste plant in Teesside.
Civil preparations including piling and excavation work began earlier this year for the facility that will treat 430,000 tonnes of household residual waste each year for Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority.
The plant was given the go-ahead by joint venture partners SITA UK, Sembcorp and ITOCHU Corporation in December 2013 following their selection by Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority to deliver the £1 billion 30-year resource and recovery contract for Merseyside and Halton councils.
Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority chief executive Carl Beer said: “The contract and the development of this new facility brings more than £100 million worth of savings to the authority and its partner councils over the current costs and will enable the authority and its partner councils to divert more than 92 per cent of its residual waste from landfill.”
The facility will become operational in 2016 and will generate 49MW of electricity – enough to power 63,000 homes. It will also have the capability to deliver 190 tonnes of steam per hour to site businesses.
A new rail hub and rail loading waste transfer station at the existing Potter Group Rail Freight Terminal in Kirkby, Merseyside will be used to transport the waste by rail to Teesside.
