1. When was the power station completed?
2. How  much power does it generate?
3. How many people does it employ?
4. Why do we need a new power station?
5. Why is it located near Newport?
6. Who is DONG Energy?
7. Who is Siemens plc?

1 When was the power station completed?
Severn Power became fully operational in November 2010, slightly ahead of construction schedule. Its development has taken two years and included an extensive period of testing and commissioning, which started in May 2010 and was finished in the Autumn. 

2 How much power does it generate?
At peak times, Severn Power can supply up to 824 megawatts (MW) to the grid. This is enough electricity to meet the average needs of up to 1.5 million homes.
Using its two independent gas turbines, output can be varied to meet demand. 


3 How many people does it employ?
Day-to-day operations at Severn Power are run by a team of forty people. When a turbine is shut down for maintenance, additional people will work at the site.
Siemens plc won the original contract with Welsh Power to build the new power station. During the construction phase, more than 1000 people worked on the project.


4 Why do we need a new power station?
There are two main reasons why new power stations are needed.
Firstly, demand for electricity in the UK has not fallen significantly in recent years. This is despite the various energy efficiency initiatives and encouragement from the Government and other groups. A normal rate of electricity usage for the UK as a whole is around 50 gigawatts (GW), and ‘coldest day’ projections suggest this could rise to around 70 GW. Experts, such as the industry regulator Ofgem, are predicting the possibility of a shortfall in capacity within the next four to five years. This timescale coincides with many of the UK’s existing power stations reaching the end of their working life, so replacement power stations need to be developed now.

Secondly, there is a need to reduce emissions which contribute to climate change. Conventional fossil fuel power generation has traditionally created large quantities of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides. However, modern technology in gas-fired power stations has made power generation much more efficient and has significantly reduced emissions. By using the latest technology, Severn Power is one of the most efficient gas-fired power stations in the UK.


5 Why is it located near Newport?
Uskmouth has been the site of electricity generation since the 1950s, when coal-fired power stations Uskmouth ‘A’ and Uskmouth ‘B’ were built. Uskmouth ‘B’ was bought by Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE), and refurbished in 2002. In the same year, Uskmouth ‘A’ was decommissioned and demolished. Development of a new power station on this unused area of the Uskmouth site started in 2007.



Severn Power is gas-fired, equipped with two independent Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) electricity generation lines.

The site was chosen in part because of the existing road and rail links, and its proximity to the river. To reduce the effects on the local road network during construction, some materials and large or heavy pieces of equipment were delivered by barge. Redeveloping this ‘brownfield’ site has also meant green field land has not been taken over for industrial purposes.


6 Who is DONG Energy?
DONG Energy owns Severn Power. The project was acquired from Welsh Power in 2009.

DONG Energy is one of the leading energy groups in Northern Europe. With its headquarters in Denmark, DONG Energy buys, produces, distributes and trades energy and related products. In addition to developing new generation conventional power stations, DONG Energy is committed to renewables, including wind power.

Internationally, DONG Energy employs around 6,000 people. The company’s revenue in 2009 was approximately 6.6 billion Euros.

For more information, visit www.dongenergy.com.


7 Who is Siemens plc?
Siemens plc is managing the design, engineering, construction, commissioning, testing and operation of Severn Power.
Siemens plc was established in the UK more than 165 years ago, and is now a leading global engineering and technology services company. Siemens operates in the key sectors of energy, industry and healthcare. The company employs more than 18,000 people in the UK alone. Siemens’ global headquarters is in Germany (Erlangen).