Ballylumford power station
Encyclopedia
Ballylumford power station is a natural gas
-fired power station
in County Antrim
, Northern Ireland
. With its main plant generating 600 megawatts of electricity, it is Northern Ireland's largest power station and provides half of the country's power. Overall the station produces 1316MW. The plant is located at the tip of the Islandmagee
peninsula, which separates Larne Lough
from the Irish Sea
. The lough is a Site of Special Scientific Interest
.
The 3 chimneys of the power station are 126 metres tall http://www.inyourfootsteps.com/sailing/harbours/print/145. East of the station, there is the static inverter plant of HVDC Moyle
, the power cable to Great Britain.
The station was a key factor in the 1974 Ulster Workers' Council strike
. Supplying all of Belfast
and most of the eastern half of the country, Northern Ireland was effectively brought to a standstill when the mainly Protestant workers of the plant were persuaded to join the strike. The closure of the plant together with the wider strike resulted in the collapse of the Sunningdale Agreement
.
In 1991 the nationalised power company, Northern Ireland Electricity
, was incorporated as a government owned public limited company. In 1992 the four power stations at Belfast Harbour, Ballylumford, Derry (Coolkeeragh) and Carrickfergus (Kilroot) were demerged and sold. In 1993 the remainder of NIE (transmission, supply and retail businesses) was privatised as Northern Ireland Electricity plc.
In 1992 the supply of electricity in Northern Ireland was privatised
. As a result Northern Ireland Electricity
sold the Ballylumford site to its present owners, Premier Power Ltd
, a subsidiary of British Gas. A condition of the sale was that the plant must be converted from heavy oil to gas-fired. British Gas formed Premier Transco Ltd. to build a submarine interconnector, the Scotland-Northern Ireland Pipeline (SNIP), a 135 km pipe (40.4 km under sea) with a diameter of 0.61 m. Construction lasted three years (1994-1996) and was completed on time and on budget. Ballylumford converted to natural gas in 1996. To take advantage of this investment a licence was tendered to provide natural gas to Belfast
, a tender which British Gas won through its subsidiary Phoenix Natural Gas
.
In 2000 work began on the site's newest facility, a combined cycle
gas turbine
(CCGT), which has greatly increased efficiency and reduced pollution.
The new power block, called "C" Station entered into commercial operation in 2003 and comprises steam turbines and gas turbines that can operate both in open cycle and in combined cycle.
The gas turbines burn natural gas as the primary fuel but can also operate on low sulphur distillate liquid fuel if the gas fuel supply is interrupted.
The electricity which is generated at 15 and 18kV medium voltage is increased to a higher 275/110kV level by step up transformers to match the Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE)
transmission system requirements. This high voltage electricity is transferred by underground cables to existing outgoing feeder connections in an adjacent NIE
switch-house and then through the transmission system to the electricity users.
In 2010 the AES Corporation
entered into an agreement with BG Energy Holdings to acquire Premier Power Ltd. for £99m and are the power station's current owners.
announced that its subsidiary, AES Ballylumford Holdings Limited, had acquired Premier Power Limited (PPL) through an all cash transaction for £102 million (approximately $160 million), which included purchase price and working capital adjustment. The transaction was announced on 2 July 2010, and was subject to licence consents from the Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation and the Northern Ireland Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment.
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
-fired power station
Power station
A power station is an industrial facility for the generation of electric energy....
in County Antrim
County Antrim
County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. With its main plant generating 600 megawatts of electricity, it is Northern Ireland's largest power station and provides half of the country's power. Overall the station produces 1316MW. The plant is located at the tip of the Islandmagee
Islandmagee
Islandmagee is a peninsula on the east coast of County Antrim, Northern Ireland, located between the towns of Larne and Carrickfergus. It is part of the Larne Borough Council area and is a sparsely populated rural community with a long history since the mesolithic period.As part of an...
peninsula, which separates Larne Lough
Larne Lough
Larne Lough is a sea lough or inlet in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The lough lies between Islandmagee and the mainland. At its mouth is the town of Larne...
from the Irish Sea
Irish Sea
The Irish Sea separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is connected to the Celtic Sea in the south by St George's Channel, and to the Atlantic Ocean in the north by the North Channel. Anglesey is the largest island within the Irish Sea, followed by the Isle of Man...
. The lough is a Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
.
The 3 chimneys of the power station are 126 metres tall http://www.inyourfootsteps.com/sailing/harbours/print/145. East of the station, there is the static inverter plant of HVDC Moyle
HVDC Moyle
The HVDC Moyle is the HVDC link between Auchencrosh, South Ayrshire in Scotland and Ballycronan More, County Antrim in Northern Ireland, which went into service in 2001. It is owned and operated by Mutual Energy....
, the power cable to Great Britain.
History
The first power station built at the site was started in 1943. The "A" station was powered by coal and operated until 1974, when the "B" station was completed.The station was a key factor in the 1974 Ulster Workers' Council strike
Ulster Workers' Council Strike
The Ulster Workers' Council strike was a general strike that took place in Northern Ireland between 15 May and 28 May 1974, during "The Troubles". The strike was called by loyalists and unionists who were against the Sunningdale Agreement, which had been signed in December 1973...
. Supplying all of Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
and most of the eastern half of the country, Northern Ireland was effectively brought to a standstill when the mainly Protestant workers of the plant were persuaded to join the strike. The closure of the plant together with the wider strike resulted in the collapse of the Sunningdale Agreement
Sunningdale Agreement
The Sunningdale Agreement was an attempt to establish a power-sharing Northern Ireland Executive and a cross-border Council of Ireland. The Agreement was signed at the Civil Service College in Sunningdale Park located in Sunningdale, Berkshire, on 9 December 1973.Unionist opposition, violence and...
.
In 1991 the nationalised power company, Northern Ireland Electricity
Northern Ireland Electricity
Northern Ireland Electricity Limited is the electricity asset owner of the transmission and distribution infrastructure in Northern Ireland. NIE does not own generate or supply electricity. NIE is a subsidiary of ESB Group....
, was incorporated as a government owned public limited company. In 1992 the four power stations at Belfast Harbour, Ballylumford, Derry (Coolkeeragh) and Carrickfergus (Kilroot) were demerged and sold. In 1993 the remainder of NIE (transmission, supply and retail businesses) was privatised as Northern Ireland Electricity plc.
In 1992 the supply of electricity in Northern Ireland was privatised
Privatization
Privatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of a business, enterprise, agency or public service from the public sector to the private sector or to private non-profit organizations...
. As a result Northern Ireland Electricity
Northern Ireland Electricity
Northern Ireland Electricity Limited is the electricity asset owner of the transmission and distribution infrastructure in Northern Ireland. NIE does not own generate or supply electricity. NIE is a subsidiary of ESB Group....
sold the Ballylumford site to its present owners, Premier Power Ltd
Premier Power
Premier Power Limited is an electricity supply company in Northern Ireland.The company was formed in 1992 following the privatization of electricity supply in Northern Ireland. Previously Northern Ireland Electricity was responsible for the running of the country's power stations and transmission...
, a subsidiary of British Gas. A condition of the sale was that the plant must be converted from heavy oil to gas-fired. British Gas formed Premier Transco Ltd. to build a submarine interconnector, the Scotland-Northern Ireland Pipeline (SNIP), a 135 km pipe (40.4 km under sea) with a diameter of 0.61 m. Construction lasted three years (1994-1996) and was completed on time and on budget. Ballylumford converted to natural gas in 1996. To take advantage of this investment a licence was tendered to provide natural gas to Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, a tender which British Gas won through its subsidiary Phoenix Natural Gas
Phoenix Natural Gas
Phoenix Natural Gas is the largest gas distribution business in Northern Ireland, being the owner and operator of the licence for the distribution network in the Greater Belfast area...
.
In 2000 work began on the site's newest facility, a combined cycle
Combined cycle
In electric power generation a combined cycle is an assembly of heat engines that work in tandem off the same source of heat, converting it into mechanical energy, which in turn usually drives electrical generators...
gas turbine
Gas turbine
A gas turbine, also called a combustion turbine, is a type of internal combustion engine. It has an upstream rotating compressor coupled to a downstream turbine, and a combustion chamber in-between....
(CCGT), which has greatly increased efficiency and reduced pollution.
The new power block, called "C" Station entered into commercial operation in 2003 and comprises steam turbines and gas turbines that can operate both in open cycle and in combined cycle.
The gas turbines burn natural gas as the primary fuel but can also operate on low sulphur distillate liquid fuel if the gas fuel supply is interrupted.
The electricity which is generated at 15 and 18kV medium voltage is increased to a higher 275/110kV level by step up transformers to match the Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE)
Northern Ireland Electricity
Northern Ireland Electricity Limited is the electricity asset owner of the transmission and distribution infrastructure in Northern Ireland. NIE does not own generate or supply electricity. NIE is a subsidiary of ESB Group....
transmission system requirements. This high voltage electricity is transferred by underground cables to existing outgoing feeder connections in an adjacent NIE
Northern Ireland Electricity
Northern Ireland Electricity Limited is the electricity asset owner of the transmission and distribution infrastructure in Northern Ireland. NIE does not own generate or supply electricity. NIE is a subsidiary of ESB Group....
switch-house and then through the transmission system to the electricity users.
In 2010 the AES Corporation
AES Corporation
AES Corporation is a Fortune 500 company that generates and distributes electrical power. The company was founded on January 28, 1981, as Applied Energy Services by Roger Sant from the US Federal Energy Administration and Dennis Bakke from the Office of Management and Budget. AES Corporation is...
entered into an agreement with BG Energy Holdings to acquire Premier Power Ltd. for £99m and are the power station's current owners.
Acquisition by AES Corporation
On 12 August 2010 the AES CorporationAES Corporation
AES Corporation is a Fortune 500 company that generates and distributes electrical power. The company was founded on January 28, 1981, as Applied Energy Services by Roger Sant from the US Federal Energy Administration and Dennis Bakke from the Office of Management and Budget. AES Corporation is...
announced that its subsidiary, AES Ballylumford Holdings Limited, had acquired Premier Power Limited (PPL) through an all cash transaction for £102 million (approximately $160 million), which included purchase price and working capital adjustment. The transaction was announced on 2 July 2010, and was subject to licence consents from the Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation and the Northern Ireland Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment.