Wheelabrator reaches financial close on EFW project

Wheelabrator Technologies, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, has reached financial close on the 744,000 tons per year Ferrybridge Multifuel 2 energy-from-waste (EFW) facility in West Yorkshire, England, the second project in the Multifuel Energy Ltd. (MEL) partnership with SSE plc, an energy provider headquartered in Perth, Scotland.

“This financial close is another major milestone for our 50-50 joint venture partnership with SSE to build and operate new energy-from-waste projects,” Robert Boucher, Wheelabrator president and CEO, says. “We look forward to a long-term partnership with SSE and remain committed to investing in new long-term waste infrastructure across the U.K., providing local and regional solutions to waste management and clean energy generation.”

Ferrybridge Multifuel 2 is an EFW facility that will generate around 70 megawatts (MW) net of electricity to power U.K. homes and business. The first project in the MEL partnership, Ferrybridge Multifuel 1, a 744,000 tons-per-year EFW facility colocated in West Yorkshire, has been operational since 2015.

Progress to reach financial close on Wheelabrator’s $271 million share of the Ferrybridge Multifuel 2 construction project follows the award of planning consent by the Secretary of State in October 2015 with an environmental permit being granted by the Environment Agency one month later. Fuel for the Ferrybridge Multifuel 2 facility will be supplied by a number of major waste management companies through long-term fixed price contracts.

Construction on Ferrybridge Multifuel 2 started August 2016 and plant operations are expected to begin in Q3 2019. One year into its 3-year construction phase, the companies say the facility is creating hundreds of additional jobs in the local area and dozens of local supply chain opportunities. Once operational, the facility is expected to create 47 new, full-time operational roles.

“Following the successful working partnership between SSE and Wheelabrator Technologies on the Ferrybridge Multifuel 1 project, we welcome the opportunity to continue the partnership and complete construction of the Ferrybridge Multifuel 2 project, which has progressed well over the past 12 months,” Sandy Honeyman, SSE’s director of business development, says.