Viridor Appoints Contractors to Build New £252m Energy Recovery Facility in Avonmouth

Viridor, has appointed CNIM S.A. and Clugston Construction Ltd to build a new £252million Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) on an industrial site in Avonmouth on the outskirts of Bristol.

Industrial engineering contractor CNIM will provide the established technology for the new, consented facility and Clugston has been appointed as the building and civils contractor. Construction will start this summer, with more than 600 people working on site during peak construction and 45 permanent roles created during operations.

The facility will enable local authorities and business to transform 320,000 tonnes of non-recyclable residual waste each year into renewable energy, which would otherwise go to landfill. As part of that transition Viridor recently signed a 25-year contract with Somerset County Council, brokered by Somerset Waste Partnership, which will see about a third of the available capacity at Avonmouth being taken up, by diverting waste that is currently transported to three landfill sites.

Once operational in 2020, the new ERF at Avonmouth will generate 34MW of low carbon energy, supplying National Grid with enough electricity to power 44,000 homes.

The project is committed to delivering local economic benefit including construction roles and supply chain opportunities. CNIM and Clugston, in partnership with Viridor, will be organising local job fairs and meet the buyer events in due course.

Viridor’s managing director Phil Piddington said: “We’re delighted to team up with CNIM and Clugston to progress this flagship facility using proven technology and respected, established partners. The development creates an exciting opportunity to support the South West community and Bristol’s progress towards creating a low carbon economy, following the city’s successful year as European Green Capital.”

Nicolas Dmitrieff, CNIM chairman, commented: “Viridor is a market leader in the UK’s energy from waste sector and we’re very happy to be joining forces again on this important project, harnessing innovative technology which has been successfully deployed on many ERF sites across the UK and abroad.”

Steve Radcliffe, managing director of Clugston Construction, added: “Once again we are pleased to be working for Viridor and continuing the long association we have with CNIM on what will be our 11th joint energy recovery scheme. We are developing our mobilisation plans in preparation for commencing site activities later this summer. This will include meeting suppliers and the business community in the region to help us identify and source services locally wherever possible.”

The new facility will become Viridor’s 12th ERF and is the fourth to be developed with CNIM. The new-build project is part of a £1.5 billion investment by Viridor in the UK’s national social infrastructure, supporting the Government’s industrial strategy.

The decision to proceed with the Avonmouth investment was made in November 2016 by Viridor’s parent company Pennon Group Plc, one of the largest environmental infrastructure companies in the UK.