Ineos lodges power plant and pipe bridge plans

The firm lodged an application with Falkirk Council to erect the structure at their Grangemouth site near Bo’ness Road.

According to the planning documents, the proposed development would have the capacity to produce up to 435 megawatts of high pressure steam to be utilised in the industrial process undertaken at the Grangemouth complex.

There would also be capacity to generate up to 35 megawatts of electricity which would be utilised on site with any excess exported to the grid via the existing grid connection.

The site would be linked to the existing infrastructure of the Grangemouth complex and, if permission is granted, would include three boilers, with associated flues, to generate superheated high pressure steam.

The height of the boiler structures will be approximately 25 metres and three flues, or chimneys, will be approximately 65 metres in height.

A pipe bridge will also be required to span Bo’ness Road to provide the required connection to the rest of the site.

Ineos had proposed to close off a section of the A904 Bo’ness Road, which runs through the heart of its complex, and erect security gatehouses last year, but that plan is currently in limbo as Scottish Government ministers decide on the matter.

Ineos say the proposed new energy plant is required to provide a contingency source of steam and electrical power generation to support continuity of supply and therefore the long-term viability of the Grangemouth Complex.

The development will not increase overall electrical power generation at the site, but will replace the electrical power currently generated by the an existing plant, which is scheduled to be decommissioned.