Proving its unrivalled credentials once again, Aggregate Industries has supplied the ready-mixed concrete specification required for the piling foundations of an expansive back-up power plant at Peterborough power station.
As part of a £180m investment programme into new flexible power facilities across the country, the new 50MW gas-fired plant will play a key role in supporting local peaks in demand, producing enough energy to meet the needs of around 50,000 homes.
Piling and ground engineering specialist, Van Elle awarded Aggregate Industries the contract to supply a significant volume of-ready mixed concrete needed on the plant. Core to this was the business’ ability to provide a consistent supply in a timely manner, all under an acute set of logistical restrictions.
Simon Wycherley, general manager at Aggregate Industries, said: “The power environment is notoriously complex and the task here was by no means a simple one. On the logistical front we were met with many challenges, including the fact that the plant was heavily secured and had a set of rigorous requirements, particularly in terms of delivery openings.
“As such, it was very important for us to take a partnering approach, working with Van Elle in advance to ensure a robust plan of action which would negate any disruption on site.
“To begin with, all drivers and staff involved in the project were given intensive training to ensure they were aware of all according procedures. We also conducted indepth site visits in advance of our involvement to understand exactly how many piles per day the team would be drilling and how deep each would be.
“The result was a seamless approach and, working closely with Van Elle to provide a consistent supply of concrete at each key stage, we were able to complete the project within just two weeks.”
The ready-mixed concrete used is EN 206 and BS 8500 compliant, providing reassurance to specifiers and contractors that its concrete is produced to the highest standards and does not contain ingredients that could affect the durability of the concrete or corrode reinforcements.
The new power plant at Peterborough will operate as a ‘peaking plant’, able to go from a cold start to full power in less than two minutes. Featuring five small reciprocating engines, the plant will be used on weekdays to meet periods of high demand or to provide back-up power when it’s needed.
Sean Holland, senior project engineer from Van Elle said: “We were delighted to work with Aggregate Industries on the Peterborough power plant project. The requirements of the job called for a high degree of partnership between the two teams to deliver the work on time. As expected, we received an excellent level of commitment and communication from the team on site, which meant everything ran smoothly and to the agreed timings, allowing us to complete the first stage of construction.”
Aggregate Industries provided the ready-mixed concrete for the power plant project in June 2017, the plant’s full construction will take around 15 months, with the plant being operational in Q4 2018.
---Francois-Petry-(AI-CEO)-building-centre.jpg)
