We believe investing in our people goes hand-in-hand with enabling the green energy transformation and positive future growth.
We believe investing in our people goes hand-in-hand with enabling the green energy transformation and positive future growth.
We’re committed to enabling a zero carbon, lower cost energy future through engineering, technology and innovation.
We’re building for a sustainable future in how we source our biomass, generate energy, remove carbon dioxide and function as a business.
Read our carbon capture, sustainable bioenergy and power generation stories, as well as thinking from Drax’s leaders and business updates.
Explore a comprehensive guide to our business model and investor relations.
Drax Group’s ambition is to become a carbon negative business by 2030, through innovative greenhouse gas removal technology.
We believe investing in our people goes hand-in-hand with enabling the green energy transformation and positive future growth.
The Open Cycle Gas Turbine (OCGT) development project of Drax Group participated in the February 2018 capacity market auction but exited above the clearing price. It is expected that Hirwaun Power will now go on to participate in the next T-4 auction.
View announcement.
It is expected that Progress Power will now go on to participate in the 2017 T-4 auction.
Read the announcement.
The final public exhibitions about the Drax Repower project were held last week in Selby and Hemingbrough but people still have until 27th February to consider the Project’s Preliminary Environmental Information Report (PEIR) and share their feedback with Drax.
Over the past fortnight, five exhibitions have been held in the local area. The project team has also recently met Selby District councillors and representatives of the parish councils that are local to Drax Power Station.
The public exhibitions explained the main elements of the Repower project, the need for it to be built, the main points from the PEIR and the various studies that Drax and its project team has undertaken over recent months. The exhibitions also showed visitors what the Repower project could look like from different viewpoints, including two possible routes for the c. 3km underground pipeline that would connect the power station to the national gas grid. 135 people visited the exhibitions and spoke with members of the project team.
The exhibition boards, alongside a leaflet about the Project scheme, the PEIR, a Project Overview document and the Project’s Statement of Community Consultation can be found in the document section of our website. The suite of documents can also be viewed at Access Selby, County Hall in Northallerton and East Riding of Yorkshire’s Customer Service Centre in Beverley. The libraries in Selby, Snaith and Goole also host these documents.
Gathering local feedback to the Repower Project is an important part of the planning process, and people have until 5.00pm on February 27th to provide their feedback. They can do this via the project website, by email to [email protected] or by writing to us at FREEPOST DRAX REPOWER.
Whilst the statutory period of consultation remains open till the end of this month, the Project team is continuing its engineering and environmental studies. The team will also consider the feedback that it receives from local people, local councils and various other organisations. The feedback will help inform the final designs of the project.
Currently, Drax is aiming to finalise and submit its application to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy within the next 3-4 months. A final decision from the Secretary of State, after an independent examination period, could be expected in the second half of 2019.
We will issue Information Updates as the project moves forward.
“Re-opening the Skipton to Colne route to rail freight as well as passenger travel would have a significant impact for business across the North of England, slashing travel times and increasing productivity in the process.
“It will have a direct impact on improving our supply chain at Drax, allowing freight trains to travel much more quickly to the power station in North Yorkshire – reducing journey times from the Port of Liverpool to less than three hours, a journey which can take up to nine hours at the moment.
“As a nation we can benefit from a fast, efficient railway that allows more free movement of goods between manufacturers, their distribution hubs and their markets across the north of England and beyond.”
“Within the energy sector there are huge opportunities for the north through new energy technologies, such as bioenergy, offshore wind, and nuclear power. To take advantage of these opportunities we need a diverse, well-equipped future workforce with a high level of education and skills in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths subjects.
“At Drax we welcome around 13,000 visitors to the power station each year – many of whom are students, ranging from primary school-age to post-graduates. By bringing energy and engineering to life, we can inspire the next generation, but we also need to give these young people the right support to achieve their ambitions at school and help them get to the next step on their career path through our apprenticeship scheme.”
Read the report: Educating the North: driving ambition across the Powerhouse
“Biomass is playing a vital role in decarbonising our electricity system, providing sustainable, reliable low carbon power for millions of homes and businesses. We are pleased the EU Parliament has recognised the important part biomass plays and we look forward to the next stage of the legislative process and further progress on the introduction of robust, workable sustainability criteria.”
Budding engineers can apply for an apprenticeship at Drax through its Technical Apprenticeship Scheme which is now open.
The scheme offers successful candidates the chance to learn a trade, develop new skills and launch their career in engineering at the UK’s biggest power station and the largest decarbonisation project in Europe.
Having upgraded half of the power station from coal to use renewable biomass, nearly 70% of the power produced at Drax Power Station, is now renewable – enough for four million households.
Drax is looking for six technical craft apprentices who will be trained in engineering to work within the maintenance department at Drax Power Station. They will work on new and recently upgraded plant designed to process renewable fuels and the maintenance of the power station.
“For anyone wanting to start their career in engineering, it doesn’t get much better than learning their trade at the UK’s biggest power station.
“It’s an exciting time to join Drax – as well as having upgraded half of the power station to use sustainable biomass, we’re also developing four rapid response gas power projects, exploring options for repowering two of our remaining coal generating units to gas and developing large-scale battery storage.”
He added: “An apprenticeship is a brilliant way to start a career in engineering. We’ve got lots of successful former apprentices working at Drax Power Station – there are engineers, section heads and department managers who all started out as apprentices.
“In order to attract the best people for the roles we hope to appeal to a diverse range of candidates from all backgrounds and would encourage anyone with an interest to apply.”
Tom Glennon-Fell, a third year technical apprentice based at Drax Power Station said: “The Drax Apprenticeship Scheme has given me the best chance to go far and be successful in my career by learning and getting hands on experience at Drax.
“I’m in my third year as an apprentice and really enjoy the variety of work I do, on a day to day basis working with some of the most experienced and knowledgeable people in the power sector.”
The Drax Apprenticeship Training Scheme is a four year programme, with each apprentice spending the first two years training in Loughborough, where travel and accommodation is provided.
In the third and fourth years, apprentices will be primarily based at Drax Power Station, near Selby in North Yorkshire with places available in three engineering disciplines: Mechanical, Electrical and Control & Instrumentation.
Applications for the Technical Apprenticeship Scheme in 2018 are now being accepted and will close on 31st January 2018.
Drax will also be offering other apprenticeships over the course of the year in business support areas, such as Finance and Business Administration. All opportunities are advertised on the website at https://draxgroup.csod.com/ats/careersite/search.aspx?site=7&c=draxgroup&company=draxgroup;draxpower
To find out more about working at Drax, go to https://www.drax.com/careers/
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Ali Lewis
Head of News
Drax Group
01757 612165
[email protected]
Jessica Gorton
Press Officer
Drax Group
07712 677177
[email protected]
Drax and STEM Learning
Drax has a longstanding commitment to STEM learning, with around 20,000 educational visits to the power station taking place in 2017. These range from Primary School to degree level, and all visits are tailored to the level of the visiting school, college or university.
To find out more about working at Drax, go to https://www.drax.com/careers/
About Drax Group
Drax Group plc plays a vital role in helping change the way energy is generated, supplied and used as the UK moves to a low carbon future. Drax operates the largest power station in the UK, based at Selby, North Yorkshire and supplies 7 percent of the country’s electricity needs. The energy firm converted from burning coal to become a predominantly biomass-fuelled electricity generator. Drax is the biggest single site renewable generator in the UK and the largest decarbonisation project in Europe. Its 2,300-strong staff operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production.
The Group includes:
Drax Biomass, based in the US and manufactures compressed wood pellets produced from sustainably managed working forests.
Haven Power, based in Ipswich, providing businesses with electricity.
Opus Energy, based in Oxford, Northampton and Cardiff, providing electricity and gas to businesses.
For more information visit www.drax.com
More events are being held to ensure local people have their say about Drax Power Station’s plans to repower up to two of its remaining coal-fired electricity generating units with gas and install what could be amongst the largest batteries in the world.
Drax’s project team will be on hand at the events to discuss the plans with local people and listen to their views. New images and interactive displays showing what the development will include, as well as an environmental impact report, will also be available.
If the plans go ahead in their entirety, the development would include two combined-cycle gas turbines (CCGTs) which would also be capable of operating as rapid response gas power plants in open-cycle mode, with a combined capacity of up to 3,600 megawatts (MW) of electricity as well as battery storage of up to 200MW.
The exhibitions follow on from similar events held in November and are part of the statutory consultation process required ahead of submitting an application for a Development Consent Order.
“Holding public events to share our ideas with local people is a great way to hear their views. It’s really important to us that we support and work with our local communities – we want people who live and work in the area near the power station to play a part in shaping our thinking for the future. We look forward to sharing our ideas and hearing thoughts.
“The options we’re exploring could reuse some of the existing infrastructure from the remaining coal assets at Drax and extend their operation as gas plant into the 2030s. The Repower project could secure the future of the power station beyond 2025 when the government says coal must come off the system.
“Drax Power Station is a national asset and a significant driver of economic growth in the North of England, generating more than £1/2bn for the northern economy and supporting 6,000 jobs.”
Drax is already the UK’s largest single site renewable power generator having converted three coal generating units to use sustainable wood pellets. More than two thirds of the power produced is now renewable, providing 17% of the UK’s renewable electricity – enough for four million homes.
Mr Koss explained that by upgrading its existing infrastructure to use gas it would provide more capacity, stability and essential grid services keeping costs low for consumers and delivering the government’s commitment to end power generation with unabated coal by 2025.
Leaflets about the project have been sent to homes and businesses in the areas around the power station.
The project’s consultation documents, including the Project’s Preliminary Environmental Information Report, are also available to view at the following locations from 16th January until 27th February 2018, when the statutory consultation period closes:
The options for repowering to gas and building battery storage complement Drax’s ongoing work to explore options for further generation from sustainable biomass and are part of its strategy to play a vital role in changing the way energy is generated as the UK moves to a low carbon future.
Subject to development consent and construction, the project could start generating electricity in 2022/23.
– Ends –
Ali Lewis
Head of News
Drax Group
01757 612165
[email protected]
Jessica Gorton
Press Officer
Drax Group
07712 677177
[email protected]
About the planning regime
The proposed development is a nationally significant infrastructure project (NSIP) under “the construction or extension of a generating station” category in Part 3 Sections 14(1)(a) and 15(2) of the Planning Act 2008 (as amended). As such, Drax is required to seek planning permission known as a Development Consent Order (DCO) from the Secretary of State for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy.
About the Repower Project
Drax’s proposals include the following elements:
About Drax Group
Drax Group plc plays a vital role in helping change the way energy is generated, supplied and used as the UK moves to a low carbon future. Drax operates the largest power station in the UK, based at Selby, North Yorkshire and supplies 7 percent of the country’s electricity needs. The energy firm converted from burning coal to become a predominantly biomass-fuelled electricity generator. Drax is the biggest single site renewable generator in the UK and the largest decarbonisation project in Europe. Its 2,300-strong staff operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production.
The Group includes:
Drax Biomass, based in the US and manufactures compressed wood pellets produced from sustainably managed working forests.
Haven Power, based in Ipswich, providing businesses with electricity.
Opus Energy, based in Oxford, Northampton and Cardiff, providing electricity and gas to businesses.
For more information visit www.drax.com.
“It’s great to have further clarity from the government about the future for coal and we look forward to working with them and helping to achieve this goal of making the power sector coal free in 2025.
“As we’ve said before, coal doesn’t have a long term role to play in a low carbon future.
We’ve already seen a dramatic fall in power generation from coal – an 84% reduction in the last five years, and a major shift towards lower carbon technologies. At Drax we’re exploring options for repowering our remaining coal units to use sustainable biomass and gas.”
