Wärtsilä Power Station will provide critical grid balancing as the UK increases its renewable energy supply

Technology group Wärtsilä is delivering a 48MW peaker plant to support the growing use of renewable energy sources in the UK. The plant is under construction and will be delivered under an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract with British energy services and solutions company Centrica Distributed Generation Ltd. The order was accepted by Wärtsilä in June 2023.

Once completed, the plant will provide vital balancing power to the grid alongside the existing 49MW peaker plant at Brigg, Lincolnshire. This will create almost 100 MW of rapid response assets that will be able to meet demand when renewable energy production is insufficient. The new plant will be equipped with four Wärtsilä 31SG gas engines. Wärtsilä’s fast-start motors can reach full power in just 2.5 minutes with no minimum on or off time, making them ideal for compensating for intermittent wind and solar power.

Chris O’Shea, Centrica Group Chief Executive, said: “Everything we do is designed to give our customers the energy they need, when they need it, at the lowest possible price. While the UK has made incredible progress towards a renewable energy future, gas plays a vital role in ensuring homes and businesses have access to a reliable supply of electricity when the wind isn’t blowing and the sun isn’t shining. That’s why we’re delighted to be expanding the Brigg Energy Park to help balance the growing amount of renewables on the grid.”

The new plant is expected to be fully operational in early 2025. Once connected to the grid, the plant will be able to power 20,000 homes throughout the day if needed. High-efficiency Wärtsilä engines with best-in-class lifecycle costs will provide stable and reliable power to the grid.

“We are extremely pleased to support Centrica in its efforts to decarbonize energy production. This installation will enable the use of clean, renewable energy, providing the necessary balancing of the network. The Wärtsilä 31 engine platform is famous for its high efficiency, and the engines can now run on a hydrogen mixture. In the future, our engines will be able to be converted to sustainable fuels when they become widely available,” commented Kenneth Engblom, vice president for Africa and Europe at Wärtsilä Energy.

Wärtsilä 31SG gas engine

For more information on this release, please contact the media:

Katri Pehkonen
communications manager
Wärtsilä energy
Mob: +358 50 591 6180
[email protected]

Photo Title: Wärtsilä is providing a 48MW peaker plant to support the growing use of renewable energy sources in the UK.
© Centrica

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Wärtsilä Energy at a glance
Wärtsilä Energy is leading the transition to a 100% renewable future. We help our customers and the energy sector accelerate their decarbonization journey with our market-leading technologies and power systems expertise. Our solutions include flexible motor power plants, energy storage and optimization technology, and services throughout the entire life cycle of our installations. Our engines are future-proof and can be powered by fuels from sustainable sources. Our experience includes 79 GW of power plant capacity, of which 18 GW is covered by service contracts, and over 125 energy storage systems in 180 countries around the world.
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Wärtsilä in short
Wärtsilä is a global leader in innovative technologies and lifecycle solutions for the marine and energy markets. We emphasize innovation in sustainable technologies and services to help our customers continually improve their environmental and economic performance. Our dedicated and passionate team of 17,800 professionals in over 280 locations in 79 countries are shaping the decarbonization transformation of our industries around the world. In 2023, Wärtsilä’s net sales amounted to EUR 6.0 billion. Wärtsilä is listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki stock exchange.
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