Kilroot Energy Park: Delivering vital strategic energy and waste infrastructure solutions for Northern Ireland
EP UK Investments (EPUKI) is part of one of the largest energy groups in Europe and operates multiple renewable and flexible power generating assets in the UK and Ireland. Kieran Tubridy, EPUKI Commercial Director, writes in this article how they are committed to developing projects which support Northern Ireland’s drive to net zero and helping to power a sustainable future.
Since the acquisition of Kilroot and Ballylumford Power Stations in Northern Ireland in 2019, our focus has been on how we can continue to invest in both sites to meet the needs of the region through the delivery of critical infrastructure. With our strong track record and experience of developing and constructing complex infrastructure projects, we are well placed to continue to deliver on our ambitious investment plans.
Powering a sustainable future
The Kilroot Energy Park represents the largest ever single investment in electricity generation in Northern Ireland and includes a range of lower carbon and renewable energy technologies and electricity generation solutions.
The Energy Park has the potential to generate 1GW of lower carbon and renewable energy, which is enough to power around one million homes. Further investment in the site will also create hundreds of jobs and mark a historic milestone in the decarbonisation of electricity generation in Northern Ireland.
As part of our decarbonisation and emissions reduction strategy, we worked closely with our staff on the planned closure of the Kilroot coal units in September 2023, as part of the transition to new lower carbon gas generation on the site.
We also completed construction of a new 3km gas pipeline, including above ground installations to provide a connection between the Belfast Transmission Gas Pipeline at Marshallstown and the Kilroot site.
This paved the way for the successful commissioning of two new 350MW open cycle gas turbines at Kilroot with an investment of approximately £250 million. The construction programme navigated the many challenges associated with the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine War to deliver the project. The project exported electricity for the first time in March 2024 and comprised the first large scale gas generation plants delivered in Northern Ireland in over 20 years.
A residual waste solution for Northern Ireland
With the transition from coal to lower carbon gas generation at Kilroot complete, we are now moving forward with completion of the Kilroot Multi Fuel Combined Heat and Power (CHP) facility. The facility is being constructed on 90 acres of land formerly used as the coal stockyard within the power station site. This will be a modern, high-efficiency plant and will generate heat and power through the thermal treatment of non-recyclable waste.
Over 18 per cent of waste in Northern Ireland was sent to landfill in 2023/2024. This needs to be reduced to 10 per cent by 2035, and to zero by 2050.
Aside from landfill, around 280,000 tonnes of waste is exported every year for treatment in energy from waste (EfW) plants overseas. This resource is being used in countries such as Sweden, Norway, and the Netherlands to generate heat and power. Through maximising recycling, and lessening the dependence on landfill and waste export, Northern Ireland can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help reach net zero by 2050.
With the capacity to treat 314,000 tonnes of residual waste annually, the Kilroot Multi-Fuel CHP will allow Northern Ireland to deal with waste locally and in a sustainable way.
The 40 MW of electricity produced will be connected to the electricity transmission network contributing to Northern Ireland’s security of electricity supply. There is also an additional 25 MW of lower carbon heat, which could be made available to local businesses or households for domestic district heating.
This project represents a £400 million investment from EPUKI, creating approximately 340 construction jobs and 40 full-time jobs. The inclusion of a learning and visitors centre, means the site also has a key educational role in promoting the importance of decarbonisation and sustainable waste management.
The right project, in the right location, at the right time
The Kilroot Multi-Fuel CHP facility is the only new large-scale energy from waste facility in Northern Ireland with full planning permission. EPUKI submitted a planning application to Mid and East Antrim Borough Council in April 2021 seeking permission for the facility. This received planning approval in May 2022 and all pre-commencement planning conditions have now been discharged.
Importantly, we have also completed the process of working with the Northern Ireland Environment Agency to finalise an environmental permit for the facility.
The project is ideally located within the surrounding energy park and will source fuel directly from local authorities and commercial operators. This will offer much needed competition into the market, and we are already in the process of securing waste contracts.
Comprehensive engagement with construction partners is ongoing with significant interest shown by the large companies in the market who recognise the potential of this secure project with an accepted need and with all consents in place.
We are proud of the significant achievements to date on this project and we look forward to moving on to the next phase and the facility being operational in 2028.
We continue to engage with our key stakeholders in government and industry as we progress towards commissioning of this critical infrastructure. We have the potential to expand the facility as required to deal with all future residual waste capacity and this is something we will continue to assess going forward. Crucially, the Kilroot Multi-Fuel CHP will allow Northern Ireland to treat all its residual waste in a sustainable way, removing the dependence on landfill and exporting waste to EfW plants overseas.
E: kieran.tubridy@epuki.ie
W: www.killrootenergypark.co.uk
