Keadby 2 project is an 840MW combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plant being developed in North Lincolnshire, UK. It is expected to be one of the cleanest and most efficient gas-fired power stations in Europe.
The project is being developed by SSE Thermal with an estimated investment of £350m ($427m). It was granted planning permission in 1993 and has since included various technological improvements.
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The groundbreaking for the project was held in October 2018 and the project is expected to be completed in 2022. The station will supply power to approximately 800,000 homes and will also strengthen industrial decarbonisation in the Humber region.
Keadby 2 has the potential to be upgraded to decarbonise its electricity generation through the use of carbon capture and incorporation of hydrogen technology.
Keadby 2 project location
Keadby 2 is being developed west of the existing Keadby 1 power station, in the borough of North Lincolnshire, UK.
The site is situated at Trentside in Keadby village of Scunthorpe town.
Keadby 2 plant make-up
Keadby 2 power plant will generate power through a natural gas-fired CCGT with an output of up to 910MWe. The main components of the power station will be an SGT5-9000HL gas turbine unit, a steam turbine unit, one heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) and ancillary equipment.
The SGT5-9000HL are the largest and most efficient gas turbines manufactured by Siemens. With an efficiency of 63%, the turbine can reach full combined cycle power in 30 minutes. The 593MW turbine weighs approximately 500t and measures 13m in length, 5m in height and 5m in width.
The power plant will use a water-cooled system to transfer low-grade heat from the process to a bank of 12 cell hybrid cooling tower. The cooling system will provide cooling to the exhaust steam from the turbine and also act as a coolant for the natural gas and other parts of the power plant.
Power generation at Keadby 2
The gas turbine will draw in and compress air to mix it with heated natural gas creating combustion. This results in a high-temperature gas mixture that is converted to rotational energy by the turbine blades. Half of the rotational energy is used by the compressor, while the remaining is converted to electrical power in the generator.
The HRSG is used to capture the exhaust heat from the turbine. The trapped heat will produce steam in the boiler, driving the steam turbine linked to a generator to produce additional electricity.
Natural gas supply
The power plant will receive natural gas from the existing National Gas Transmission System connected to the Keadby 1 power station via an above-ground installation (AGI) gas compound. Keadby 2 will be connected to the gas compound by a new pipeline and above underground routing within the site.
Transmission infrastructure
The generated electricity by Keadby 2 will be exported to the National Grid Electricity Transmission System by a new overhead line, connecting to an existing National Grid substation located near the site.
SSE Thermal received a 15-year capacity agreement for Keadby 2 at the T-4 Capacity Auction in March 2020. The agreement was secured at a de-rated capacity of 803.7MW.
Contractors involved in Keadby 2 project
Siemens was awarded the engineering, procurement and construction contract for the plant along with a 15-year servicing contract.
Careys Civil Engineering was contracted as the specialist subcontractor by Siemens.
Britcon (UK) will provide site development works, while CLS Civil Engineering undertook demolition works for preparing the site.
Mammoet was contracted to deliver major critical items of plant and equipment for the power station, while NRL is responsible to hire UK-based workers.
DWD provided advisory to SSE’s subsidiary Keadby Developments (KDL).
Environmental Resources Management prepared the environmental impact assessment for the project.
