Fencing project for world’s largest biomass power station
Port Talbot, August - October 2011

When National Grid decided to build a new 275kV GIS electrical substation powered by sustainable fuel adjacent to the Corus steelworks at Port Talbot, the first contractors to appear on the 53,000 square-metre site were Spencer.

Situated on a plot of land between this well-known industrial area and the M4 motorway that runs past it, the project - managed by the Southwest Alliance - initially required boundary fencing to be erected before construction work could commence.

The site itself consists of a reed-bed and marshy-grassland which, from time-to-time, is grazed by sheep and cattle. The northern side of the plot is flanked by a ditch that rises to a golf course, whereas the eastern side features a mixture of reed and willow scrub. The south and western boundaries are flanked by industrial land occupied by British Oxygen Company and the Corus steelworks respectively.

Having surveyed the site in advance, Spencer quickly established that before work could begin, the wildlife that existed on the land would require protection. Therefore, the first part of the job required Spencer to round up the reptiles and other natural inhabitants in the area and transport them to a safe place.

Then, as soon as the land was clear of the various species, Spencer installed a reptile-retaining fence around the perimeter. Once in place, work then began on a more substantial boundary, with Spencer’s team erecting stock-proof fencing around the whole area. The job also included the installation of gates.

Owned and managed by Prenergy Power, the finished electricity generation plant will be fuelled by wood-chip – a product that is currently supplied by Spencer to other power stations in the area. This facility will be the largest biomass-fuelled facility in the world and will generate enough electricity to meet 70% of Wales’ renewable energy target by providing enough power to service nearly half the homes in the country.

Spencer is therefore delighted to be associated with such a landmark project, especially one that represents a major step forward in the use of sustainable fuels and acknowledges ecological issues - subjects that are close to Spencer’s heart and form part of its company policy.

ENDS