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Rookery South Resource Recovery Facility Project

About the Project

Covanta Energy is proposing to build an Energy from Waste (EfW) Facility and post treatment Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) at Rookery South Pit near Stewartby in Bedfordshire, capable of using household and business waste leftover after recycling as a fuel to generate heat and electricity.

The Project - known as the Rookery South Resource Recovery Facility (RRF) - will convert approximately 585,000 tonnes of residual waste per year into 65MWe of electricity, of which 55MWe would be exported to the national grid. That's enough electricity to meet the needs of Bedford and the Marston Vale (about 82,500 homes). There are also excellent opportunities to supply surplus heat to nearby developments such as NIRAH and Center Parcs. Over 50% of the energy generated would be classified as renewable.

The Project also includes a new access and junction upgrade from Green Lane, Stewartby, extensive landscaping and ecological habitat creation, improvements to rights of way, an underground electricity grid connection and a visitor centre. The provision of a new footbridge over the Marston Vale railway line and improvements to the Green Lane railway level crossing in Stewartby are also being considered.

Covanta intends to source the fuel from Bedfordshire and Luton and from nearby local authority areas (depending on future contract awards). At present approximately 370,000 tonnes of residual household and business waste is generated within the Bedfordshire and Luton area, with the vast majority landfilled - the least sustainable option. Covanta treats more waste at its EfW facilities than anyone else worldwide, and sees this technology as the most cost effective, proven and environmentally sound alternative to landfill.

To achieve even greater environmental benefits, Covanta is proposing the MRF to recover valuable metals and secondary aggregate post treatment in the EfW facility. Overall the Rookery South RRF will recover value from approximately 96% of the waste it treats and helping Authorities meet recovery and renewable energy targets.

As the Project is principally a power station generating over 50MW of electricity per year, the application will be decided by the new Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) in consultation with the local councils, statutory advisors and the local community.

Consultation

Covanta hosted extensive local consultation and information events in the summer of 2009 and has recently published and consulted on a full Preliminary Environmental Report (February 2010). Part of the consultation has involved holding five interactive exhibitions in March 2010 which attracted over 550 local people to discover more about the proposals and give their feedback. Covanta has also established a Community Liaison Panel (back in September 2009) to provide representatives of local organisations with an ongoing opportunity to find out more about the Project and to feedback on the issues most important to the local community.

The feedback received by Covanta will be considered and incorporated as appropriate into the planning submission to the IPC later this year.

Please check back regularly for updates and more information as the Project progresses.

Email: RookerySouth@covantaenergy.co.uk

Click here to view an artist's impression of the proposed facility.

Updates on Proposal

 

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