Powergen, the UK generation company owned by E.On is returning its Isle of Grain oil-fired power station in Kent, UK, to service as a peaking unit. The move comes amid high gas prices and security of supply concerns raised by Met Office predictions of a particularly harsh winter.
Dr Paul Golby, Chief Executive of E.On UK, said of the move: “We don’t believe the lights are going to go out this winter but we do believe this is the responsible thing for us to do.”
The station ran last winter and staff from nearby Kingsnorth have already returned unit 4 to service. Unit 1 could be returned later in the year if required. Both units are rated at 650 MW.
E.ON has applied for permission to convert the plant into what would be Europe’s largest gas-fired power station.
