Wartsila power plant will provide critical grid balancing as UK expands its renewable energy supply

Wartsila, a leading technology group, is providing a 48 MW peaking power plant to bolster the growing renewable energy sector in the United Kingdom. The plant is currently under construction and is being delivered through an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract with Centrica Distributed Generation Ltd. Wärtsilä booked the order in June 2023.

Once completed, the plant will offer crucial grid balancing power generation, complementing an existing 49 MW peaking plant in Brigg, Lincolnshire. This addition will create nearly 100 MW of fast-response assets, ready to meet demand when renewable generation falls short. The new plant will be equipped with four Wärtsilä 31SG gas engines, known for their rapid start-up capability, reaching full output in just 2.5 minutes with no minimum up or down time. This makes them ideal for compensating the variable supply from wind and solar power.

Chris O’Shea, Group Chief Executive of Centrica, stated: “Our goal is to ensure that our customers have the energy they need, whenever they need it, at the lowest possible cost. While the UK has made significant strides towards a renewable energy future, gas remains essential for ensuring a reliable electricity supply when renewable sources are insufficient. We are excited to expand the Brigg energy park to help balance the increasing renewables on the grid.”

The new plant is expected to be fully operational by early 2025. Once connected to the grid, it will have the capacity to power 20,000 homes for an entire day when needed. The high-performance Wärtsilä engines, known for their excellent lifecycle costs, will provide stable and reliable power to the grid.

Kenneth Engblom, Vice President Africa & Europe at Wärtsilä Energy, commented: “We are delighted to support Centrica in their efforts to decarbonize power production. This installation will facilitate the use of clean renewable energy by providing necessary grid balancing. The Wärtsilä 31 engine platform is highly efficient and can already run on a hydrogen blend. In the future, our engines can be converted to operate on sustainable fuels as they become widely available.”

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Wartsila Energy Overview

Wärtsilä Energy leads the transition to a 100% renewable energy future. We assist customers and the power sector in accelerating their decarbonization journeys through our market-leading technologies and power system expertise. Our solutions include flexible engine power plants, energy storage and optimization technology, and comprehensive lifecycle services. Our engines are future-proof and capable of running on sustainable fuels. We have a track record of 79 GW of power plant capacity, with 18 GW under service agreements, and over 125 energy storage systems in 180 countries globally. For more details, visit www.wartsila.com/energy.

Wartsila Overview

Wärtsilä is a global leader in innovative technologies and lifecycle solutions for marine and energy markets. We focus on sustainable technology and services to help customers continuously improve environmental and economic performance. Our team of 17,800 professionals in more than 280 locations across 79 countries is dedicated to shaping the decarbonization transformation worldwide. In 2023, Wärtsilä’s net sales totaled EUR 6.0 billion. Wärtsilä is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki.