Urbaser Balfour Beatty (UBB) has successfully energised the Gloucestershire Energy from Waste facility by connecting the facility to the National Grid and powering the site for initial commissioning trials.  

It has always been a priority that the location of the Gloucestershire Energy from Waste Facility (previously known as Javelin Park) would eventually become a wildlife corridor, linking various local natural habitats for animals, and attracting them back to the area following the planned disruption of building works.

Urbaser Balfour Beatty have announced that a construction milestone is on track to be achieved by the end of July. The boiler pressure test is a regulatory requirement under the Pressure Equipment Directive for the construction of all Energy from Waste facilities.

Urbaser Balfour Beatty have produced a short reportage film about the construction progress on the site at Gloucestershire Energy from Waste facility.

With erection of the main buildings and steel structures continuing to schedule, there has been increased activity as the process equipment is installed. At the heart of the energy from waste plant is the combustion grate which is now in place, and preparations are in hand for the installation of the boiler panels which will capture the energy created from the combustion process and raise steam to drive the turbine and electricity generator.
 

The autumn has seen continued concreting works, with the construction of the turbine hall by continuous concrete pouring (slip forming), as well as the formation of the retaining walls for the building that will house the incinerator bottom ash processing. The last section of concrete floor in the area of the combustion grate and boiler has now been completed, with foundation works for the electricity substation and transformer near completion.

While below ground concrete works continued during the summer months, September saw the buildings start to emerge above ground, with the concrete bunker walls appearing almost overnight. The first elements of the steel frame construction - the supports for the turbine hall – have now been erected, which signals the start of the main process plant installation, and construction of the administration block/visitor centre.

We brought piling rigs back on to site in May to undertake further foundation piling, mainly in the area of the waste bunker. Work can now progress to excavate the main bunker down to 14 metres below ground level.

As of 1st April, we’ve almost completed our work below ground to prepare the site’s foundations. The first phase of foundation piling and excavation is ongoing, as the boiler house is excavated and the waste storage bunker groundwork continues to take shape. All of the concrete works, including the capping beams which sit above the piles, will offer support and strength for the main process plant and buildings of the Facility once complete.

On 7th November, we announced that major construction works were underway. This was heralded by the arrival of piling equipment on site, to install the piled foundations to support major buildings, process equipment and the waste bunker.