- Dash for Gas
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The Dash for Gas was the significant shift by the newly privatized electric companies in the United Kingdom towards generation of electricity using natural gas during the 1990s.
The key reasons for this shift were[1]: (a) political: the privatisation of the UK electricity industry in 1990; the regulatory change that allowed gas to be used as a fuel for power generation; (b) economic: the high interest rates of the time, which favoured quick to build gas turbine power stations over the larger but slower-to-build coal and nuclear power stations; the decline in wholesale gas prices; the desire by the Regional Electricity Companies to diversify their sources of electricity supply and establish foothold in the profitable generation market; (c) technical: advances in electricity generation technology (specifically Combined cycle Gas Turbine generators (CCGT) with higher relative efficiencies and lower capital costs. An underpinning factor in the Dash for Gas was the recent development of North Sea gas.
As at the end of 2010, the dash for gas was the last major transformational change to have happened to the UK’s energy system. In 1990, gas turbine power stations comprised 5% of the UK's generating capacity, by 2002 the new CCGT power stations comprised 28% of UK generating capacity with gas turbines comprising a further 2%. It is estimated the Dash for Gas cost £11bn.[2]
Gas-fired power stations with more than 30MW installed capacity commissioned between 1990 and 2002 are listed below.[3]
Year of commission or year generation began Power Station Name Installed capacity, MW Location (Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, or English region) 1991 Roosecote Power Station 229 North West England 1992 Teesside Power Station 1875[4] (210 after suspension in 2011) North East England 1993 Glanford Brigg Power Station 260 Yorkshire and the Humber 1993 Killingholme Power Station B 900 Yorkshire and the Humber 1993 Peterborough Power Station 405 East of England 1993 Rye House Power Station 715 East of England 1993 Corby Power Station 401 East Midlands 1994 Killingholme Power Station A 665 Yorkshire and the Humber 1994 Keadby Power Station 749 Yorkshire and the Humber 1994 Barking Power Station 1000 London 1994 Derwent Power Station 228 East Midlands 1994 Deeside Power Station 500 Wales 1994 Knapton Power Station 40 Yorkshire and the Humber 1995 Charterhouse St Power Station 31 London 1995 Fellside Power Station 180 North West England 1995 Little Barford Power Station 665 East of England 1995 Medway Power Station 688 South East England 1996 Connah's Quay Power Station 1380 Wales 1996 South Humber Bank Power Station 1285 Yorkshire and the Humber 1996 Kings Lynn Power Station 340 East of England 1998 Barry Power Station 230 Wales 1998 Didcot B Power Station 1430 South East England 1998 Rocksavage Power Station 810 North West England 1998 Thornhill Power Station 50 Yorkshire and the Humber 1998 Seabank 1 Power Station 812 South West England 1999 Cottam Development Centre 390 East Midlands 1999 Sutton Bridge Power Station 819 East Midlands 1999 Enfield Power Station 408 London 1999 Sandbach Power Station 50 North West England 2000 Damhead Creek Power Station 800 South East England 2000 Salt End Power Station 1200 Yorkshire and the Humber 2000 Seabank 2 Power Station 410 South West England 2000 Shoreham Power Station 400 South East England 2000 Fife Power Station 123 (before closed in March 2011) Scotland 2001 Coryton Power Station 753 East of England 2001 Great Yarmouth Power Station 420 East of England 2001 Shotton Power Station 45 Wales 2002 Baglan Bay Power Station 510 Wales 2002 Castleford Power Station 56 Yorkshire and the Humber References
- ^ Past & Future Dash for Gas in the UK (presentation to the IEA/IGU 'Future of Gas for Power Generation' workshop, Paris, June 14th 2004)
- ^ Estimate from Climate Change Capital analysis, quoted in 'Unlocking investment to deliver Britain’s low carbon future: report by the Green Investment Bank Commission. June 2010
- ^ Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics; Table 5.11: Power stations in the United Kingdom, May 2011
- ^ Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics; Table 5.11: Power stations in the United Kingdom, May 2004
External links
Categories:- 1990s in the United Kingdom
- Energy in the United Kingdom
- Electric power in the United Kingdom
- Gas infrastructure of the United Kingdom
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