Clarke Energy (a Rehlko company) and INNIO Group have supplied ‘ready for hydrogen’ Jenbacher J624 engines to what will be one of the world’s largest gas fuelled high-speed piston engine based peaking power stations.
Located in Thurrock, UK, the flexible and fast-start 450 MW power plant is being constructed by Statera Energy, developer, owner, and operator of flexible energy assets, with operation targeted for late 2026. The plant will comprise 95 reciprocating-engine-based gensets.
The plant’s strategic positioning, near London, means Thurrock Power, along with Statera’s co-located 300 MW battery energy storage facility (already operational), will support grid flexibility and play a key role in balancing the energy system.
The Jenbacher high-speed engines are said to combine high electrical efficiency, rapid start-up (in less than 5 minutes), cost advantages over medium-speed engines and simple-cycle gas turbines, and faster construction timelines compared to these alternative technologies.
Deployment of multiple gensets allows high efficiency at partial loads, with power generation able to ramp from as low as 2.25 MW to the full 450 MW capacity. This flexibility enables the plant to swiftly respond to fluctuations in electricity supply and demand. The plant will operate primarily on pipeline gas but is designed to run on a variety of fuel blends, including biomethane and hydrogen. This supports the transition to a net-zero energy system as the gas grid evolves towards decarbonisation, say the plant’s developers.
The project marks the second major collaboration between Statera Energy, Clarke Energy and INNIO Group, following the successful completion of the Creyke Beck Power flexible generation project in Cottingham, Humberside, UK.
“Thurrock Power represents a significant milestone for Statera,” said Matt Arnold, the company’s director of BESS & Flex-Gen. “Once operational, it will be the UK’s largest flexible generation project, providing critical capacity to balance the grid and enable the transition to a renewables-led energy system.Together with Thurrock Storage, our sites support grid resilience and energy security. We selected Clarke Energy and INNIO Group’s Jenbacher technology for its rapid deployment capabilities, fuel flexibility, and exceptional start-up performance.”
