SITA UK's Haverton Hill Energy from Waste plant upgrade on books

Dec 30 2009 by Kelley Price, Evening Gazette

A TEES Valley waste management company has rounded off a successful 2009 by announcing a multi-million pound revamp.

A £25m upgrade of SITA UK’s Haverton Hill Energy from Waste plant is about to go out to tender.

Earlier this year, the company unveiled a £70m extension to the Stockton facility. Bosses have also secured approval from Stockton Council for a £120m state-of-the-art project - the North East Energy Recovery Centre (NEERC), to be built next-door.

John Grainger, SITA UK’s processing general manager for the North-east, said the company had bucked the downward trend of the last year.

“It’s been a difficult year for most companies in the UK and the recycling and waste management industry has been no exception,” he said.

“Across our industrial and commercial business, our customers have been tightening their belts and our public sector clients are in similar positions.

“However, despite this backdrop, we have had a very good year in the North-east, where we have seen significant investment, particularly in Northumberland and the Tees Valley.

“Everyone’s hoping that the economy significantly improves in 2010 and, as it does, SITA UK will be looking for major improvements in the marketplace and playing its part to ensure the region maintains its lead on recycling and renewable energy.”

Over the last 12 months, it has invested more than £100m in the region.

The new Energy-from-Waste plant extension created 25 new jobs and takes the capacity of the whole facility to 390,000 tonnes of waste a year, making it SITA UK’s largest Energy-from-Waste site in the country.

It creates 30MW of green electricity for the National Grid - enough power to supply about 40,000 homes.

The NEERC will manage up to 256,000 tonnes of waste each year and produce 21MW of electricity.