Delayed £200m power plant is now generating electricity

Energy Works on Cleveland Street in Hull was originally scheduled to open in April 2018.

The combined heat and power enabled gasification plant, which occupies a seven-acre site on the east bank of the River Hull, is the largest of its kind in the UK.

New contractors were brought in earlier this year to oversee the final stages of the project.

Energy Works said on Friday it was still fine-tuning, but added that it is providing power to the National Grid on a “regular basis whilst further optimisation is ongoing”.

The plant uses fuel made from household waste, which has already had valuable steel and non-ferrous metals taken out, which is shredded, along with general waste from commercial and industrial facilities.

It produces a gas from the fuel, which is then burned to heat a boiler.

The three principal fuel supply agreements are with Biffa, Geminor and Veolia.

Geminor secured a seven year contract with Hull Council in 2017 for the management of municipal solid waste.

The Environment Agency became involved in August after residents complained about noise.

In September the firm said it was “committing substantial resources” to solving the problem, partly caused by faulty silencing equipment.

On Friday a spokesman said: “Energy Works is making an important contribution to the sustainable management of Hull’s commercial and industrial waste.

"It has regenerated a 7.5-acre brownfield site in the city, is enabling other local businesses to reduce their carbon footprint and is providing power to the local grid.

"Once it achieves full operating capacity, the plant will produce enough electricity to power 43,000 homes.”

Bioenergy Infrastructure Group is the majority shareholder and co-investor in Energy Works alongside the NOY fund and the John Hancock Renewable Energy Group.