Runcorn energy from waste plant switches on

The Runcorn power plant on the river Mersey which burns rubbish for fuel started generating electricity yesterday. The Cheshire plant will treat up to 850,000 tonnes of refuse derived fuel (RDF) […]

The Runcorn power plant on the river Mersey which burns rubbish for fuel started generating electricity yesterday.

The Cheshire plant will treat up to 850,000 tonnes of refuse derived fuel (RDF) each year once a second phase of the site is finished.

Waste management firm Viridor which owns the project said it will generate up to 70MW of electricity and up to 51 MW of heat.

The Runcorn plant’s energy will be for “exclusive use” by a chemical plant owned by INEOS. This chemical site will get up to 20% of its total energy needs from Runcorn.

Viridor claimed the plant will give local authorities such as the Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority and north-west businesses a “viable alternative” to sending non-recyclable waste to landfill or exporting it for treatment in Europe.

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