During November, activities have continued to increase as construction enters its final stages. The boiler has been fitted with refractory lining to protect the furnace shell from the high temperatures of the grate, and external insulation has been fitted to its superheaters - these increase steam temperature and, in turn, the facility’s energy efficiency.

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.  

Over summer, we successfully completed the boiler pressure test on schedule. This demonstrated the build integrity of the boiler, and allows follow-on activities to take place, such as installation of the cladding welds inside the boiler, refractory lining which acts as an internal insulation layer, and external insulation. We also successfully carried out the fire water tank integrity test.

All elements of the construction and process equipment installation are progressing at a fast rate, and almost all of the structural steel supporting the process equipment is now in place.

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.