Powergen re-ignites generator after five years

Electricity giant Powergen is to bring a coal generator near Rochester, Kent back into production after five years, it said today.

The group hopes to reopen the 485MW unit at the Kingsnorth power station next summer, taking the site’s total capacity up to almost 2000MW.

The move is a boost to the 220 staff employed at the site, where the unit has been out of action since its boiler over-pressurised in 1996.

Paul Golby, Powergen’s director of UK operations said high gas prices meant coal was becoming a more ‘‘economically viable fuel’’.

He added: ‘‘Additional capacity at Kingsnorth will provide us with an important source of lower cost generation, increasing our flexibility and competitiveness.’’

Wholesale gas prices have doubled in the last eighteen months with strong demand from mainland Europe fuelling price hikes in the UK.

Powergen said it would be mothballing a 450MW gas-fired generator at its Killingholme power station in Lincolnshire from next April.

The decision would not affect the 46 staff employed at the power station.