Drax expects to complete commissioning of new on-site biomass facilities at power plant in Selby, England, in Q3; company's first US pellet plant, port facility expected to start up in Q1 2015, according to interim report

Allison Oesterle

LOS ANGELES , May 13, 2014 (Industry Intelligence Inc.) – Drax Group Plc. expects to complete the commission of its new on-site biomass facilities at its power plant in Selby, England, in the third quarter of this year, according to the company’s interim management statement on May 9, Biomass Magazine reported on May 12.

The first unit at the Selby facility to convert to biomass is performing well, and the company is making progress toward optimization, the statement noted.

One of the coal units at the facility, which began operating as an enhanced co-firing unit in early May, is currently involved in a phased commissioning process. Going forward, the unit will burn a mixture consisting of at least 85% biomass.

Two of Drax’s four storage domes are currently in use. In addition, the company’s new facility at the Port of Hull in Kingston upon Hull, England, is fully operational.

The Port of Hull biomass silo is intended to enable the transportation of biomass by train from the port to Drax’s biomass station, according to the Industry Intelligence archives. The Associated British Ports has a 15-year contract to supply Drax with biomass for its power station in Selby.

Drax expects its first wood pellet manufacturing plant and port facility in the U.S. to become operational during the first quarter of 2015, while a second U.S. wood pellet plant is expected to start up during the second quarter of 2015, the interim management statement noted.

The two wood pellet production plants, which are located in Amite, Mississippi, and Morehouse, Louisiana, will each have a capacity of 450,000 tonnes per year, according to the Industry Intelligence archives.

The primary source of this article is Biomass Magazine, Grand Forks, North Dakota, on May 12, 2014. Click here to see the original article.

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