ESB International purchase UK power company

ESB International (ESBI) has increased its presence in the UK energy market with the purchase of Southampton company Marchwood Power Ltd.

ESBI has acquired the rights to all relevant planning consents, connection agreements and environmental certification to build an 800MW power station, through the venture.

The development is located on the site of a former power station in the Marchwood Industrial Park in Hampshire.

David McNamara, ESBI Project Director, said today : "We are proposing to develop a modern combined cycle gas turbine power plant on the site, which will use the most advanced environmentally friendly technology to deliver efficient and competitive power to benefit customers in the south of England.

"The economics of the new plant, combined with the positive environmental impacts will position this plant well to meet future capacity requirements in the UK system," he added.

ESBI has been in the UK energy market since 1992.

It currently joint-owns Corby Power Station and is responsible for the operations and management of the Northampton power plant.

The company is currently constructing two similar combined cycle gas turbine power plants in Bilbao, Spain and at Coolkeeragh in Northern Ireland.