Teesside power station
| Company type | Power station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Electricity generation |
| Predecessor | Enron (original owner) |
| Founded | 1993 |
| Fate | Decommissioned and demolished by 2015 |
| Headquarters | Redcar & Cleveland, North Yorkshire , England, United Kingdom |
Area served | United Kingdom |
| Products | Electricity, cogenerated steam, gas liquids (propane, butane) |
| Owner | Gaz de France and Suez (from 2008) |
Number of employees | Approximately 3,000 (during construction) |
| Parent | GDF Suez (after 2010 merger) |
Teesside Power Station was a significant natural gas-fuelled electricity generation facility situated close to the Wilton chemical complex in Redcar & Cleveland, North Yorkshire, England. Equipped with both combined cycle gas turbines (CCGT) and open cycle gas turbines (OCGT), it boasted a maximum output capacity of 1,875 MW, ranking it as Europe's largest CCGT power station and capable of meeting nearly 3% of the United Kingdom’s electricity needs. Commissioned in 1993, the plant initially operated under the ownership of the US-based energy corporation Enron, before control passed to PX Ltd following the Enron collapse, and subsequently transferred to French energy companies Gaz de France and Suez in 2008. In addition to power generation, the facility supplied cogenerated steam to the neighbouring Wilton chemical complex.
History
The power station was developed on a 23-acre plot within the Wilton chemical site near Middlesbrough. Construction began in December 1990 and was completed over a period of 29 months by contractors Westinghouse and Wimpey, engaging approximately 3,000 workers from the local area. The plant became operational in April 1993 under Enron’s management.
A visitor centre was inaugurated in 1998 by MP Mo Mowlam to foster community relations. In August 2001, a maintenance-related transformer explosion resulted in the deaths of three employees.
Following Enron’s bankruptcy in 2002, a management buyout established Teesside Power Limited (TPL), with PX Limited overseeing operations. In October 2007, private equity firms Cargill and Goldman Sachs listed the station for sale, estimating its value between £200 million and £300 million. The acquisition was completed jointly by Gaz de France and Suez in February 2008.
A £500 million refurbishment plan received approval in 2008, intending to replace existing turbines with four gas turbines rated at 300 MW each alongside two steam turbines of 340 MW each to sustain overall capacity. However, by 2010 no construction activity had commenced, prompting a five-year extension for planning consent.
Ownership transitioned following the 2010 merger of GDF and International Power. On 1 April 2011, GDF Suez ceased CCGT operations and relinquished most transmission rights due to depressed UK energy prices and market challenges, reducing generation to just 45 MW from OCGTs. This decision attracted criticism from local MP Tom Blenkinsop amid apprehensions over future energy security as coal and nuclear plants neared decommissioning.
In 2013, GDF Suez declared intentions for permanent shutdown and dismantling; demolition work concluded by early 2015.
In 2018, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council faced a financial obligation of £2.6 million payable to GDF Suez following a retrospective business rates reassessment for the site.
Specifications
The power station’s total generation capacity of 1,875 MW made it Europe’s largest CCGT facility at its inception and one of the world’s largest at that time. It supplied approximately 3% of combined electricity consumption across England, Wales, and Scotland. Generation assets included eight Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Westinghouse 701DA gas turbines rated at 152 MW each equipped with Nooter Eriksen heat recovery steam generators featuring supplementary firing; two Mitsubishi Westinghouse steam turbines each producing 305 MW; along with a General Electric LM6000 black start gas turbine rated at 43 MW. The fuel mix comprised natural gas, propane, and naphtha. By April 2011, partial mothballing had curtailed output to just 45 MW.
Fuel was delivered from an adjacent gas processing facility linked to the UK national gas transmission network. The steam cycle utilized three cooling towers for thermal regulation. Electrical output was transmitted through ABB-manufactured substations operating at 275 kV connected to the National Grid.
Besides electricity generation, the station produced process steam at a rate of 800 tonnes per hour for use by the nearby Wilton chemical complex and generated approximately 2,000 tonnes daily of gas liquids such as propane, butane, and other hydrocarbons.