Interserve JV wins Rotherham biomass plant construction deal

Interserve has won a £150m contract by the Brite Partnership North East to build a biomass-fired power plant in Rotherham, as part of joint venture.Interserve said its portion of the project will be worth roughly £50m.Work on the plant is expected to begin in the coming weeks, with the facility expected to be fully operational in the second quarter of 2017, with the joint venture to operate and maintain the plant for Brite, a specialist biomass energy developer.The power plant will be fired with locally sourced waste wood and have a capacity of 45 megawatts (MW), with power output generated enough for 70,000 households and result in an annual carbon dioxide reduction of 360 tonnes.Andy Jarman, commercial director at Interserve said: "The waste sector is a key growth area for Interserve. We recognise that projects of this type are highly technical and challenging, requiring key expertise to construct, operate and maintain."This is why we have formed a strategic partnership with Babcock & Wilcox Vølund who will operate and maintain the Brite plant from 2017."The biomass fuel used in the facility will be sourced on a long-term contract from Stobart Biomass Group.