A new gas-fired power plant with a total capacity of 300MW has entered commercial operation in Lincolnshire.

The £100 million Spalding peaking plant is highly flexible and will provide backup for renewable generation sources like solar and wind power.

It secured a 15-year capacity agreement in the T-4 December 2016 auction.

Global power generation firm InterGen developed the project in partnership with Siemens, Atlantic Projects Company and Darke Engineering.

Intergen CEO Jim Lightfoot said: “This plant will play an important role in providing essential power and system services during periods of peak demand. I am very pleased to be joining InterGen at an exciting time for the company and the sector. We are looking forward to delivering more projects that will help ensure reliable electricity supply for the UK as we transition towards a net zero economy.”

The company is also planning to expand the site to include up to 175MW of battery storage and build a combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plant of up to 470MW.

Last year, ELN visited the 21MW Ashford Peaking Power Plant at Kingsnorth Industrial Estate in Kent.