E.ON UK has today announced that the 33 years old, oil-fired power station on the Isle of Grain in Kent, will be mothballed with closure of the plant by 31 December 2012.
The Grain-A power station, which has not generated power during the last two years, was originally due to be closed by the end of 2015 as it does not meet the stringent environmental requirements set by the European Union’s Large Combustion Plant Directive (LCPD).
However, in recent years the back-up role it had previously provided to ensure supply and demand on the system stayed balanced in times of system stress has largely been taken over by gas-fired power stations.
Commenting on the announcement, Dr Tony Cocker, chief executive at E.ON UK said: “Today’s announcement concerning Grain-A is not just about closing a power station, it’s also about saying thank you to the hundreds of people who worked there over the past 33 years. We will now do everything we can to support and assist the 16 colleagues directly affected by this decision.”
Dr Cocker commented that how we generate electricity is changing.
E.ON’s oil-fired and coal-fired power stations at Kingsnorth, Kent, are both set to close under LCPD rules.
The energy supplier has set up a new gas-fired combined heat and power station not far from the Kent coast. E.ON is partnering the ongoing development of the world’s largest offshore wind-farm, London Array.
