Spalding

Operations

The Spalding Energy facility is InterGen’s third natural gas-fired electrical generating facility in the United Kingdom. The 860 MW plant is located immediately north of Spalding, Lincolnshire, England and commenced commercial operations in 2004.

An Energy Tolling Agreement between Spalding Energy and British Gas Trading, a subsidiary of Centrica, defines the electrical power and gas supply requirements for Spalding and enables InterGen to provide power to Britain's domestic and industrial energy consumers.

Performance

Spalding is one of the most modern and efficient power generators in the UK, with efficiency levels in excess of 50%. The plant has displayed excellent start reliability characteristics.

Safety

Spalding has achieved a total of more than 400,000 work hours without a serious lost time accident since the commencement of commercial operations. This is due in no small part to the comprehensive plant isolation and Permit to Work system that has been developed to ensure the safety of all personnel. Also, a team of specialist engineering professionals and technicians manages plant integrity and routine and corrective maintenance, and the Operations and Maintenance team has been provided with a comprehensive safety training program.

Environmental

Spalding’s advanced design and extremely efficient, low-noise, environmentally sound air-cooled condenser technology allows it to use 90% less water than typical water-cooled plants and has eliminated the need for cooling towers and their associated visual steam plume.

The Spalding plant employs some of the most technically advanced equipment in the power industry, combined with the use of natural gas, the most energy efficient fuel. Spalding uses continuous emission monitoring to assure compliance with air quality regulations.

The plant’s combined cycle capability achieves very high levels of efficiency by directing the exhaust heat from the combustion turbines to heat recovery steam generators. The steam generated in these units is then utilized to produce additional power from a steam turbine. As a result, Spalding is among the cleanest and most efficient fossil-fuel plants in the United Kingdom.

Community

Since setting up in the area, Spalding Energy has sponsored a training and educational development fund and an economic development fund, and has always encouraged employees to become actively involved in the community.

After conducting a Community Needs Assessment, Spalding identified road safety, education, employment diversification and the potential loss of young talented people from the area as significant regional issues. The plant team worked closely with key local stakeholders to develop a highly acclaimed education program, partnered with the Lincolnshire road safety partnership, and has developed an apprenticeship training program. This program sends students to a power industry training facility and then trains them onsite to help prepare them for the employment market.

Management

Spalding Plant Manager Paul Hanson has 15 years of energy industry experience. Before joining InterGen ten years ago, Mr. Hanson worked for Enron at the Teesside CCGT plant in the UK.