Essential safety testing of the second and final boiler line at Severn Power station is due to resume this week following a period of down-time. 

The testing is likely to take around 14 days to complete. DONG Energy, owners of Severn Power station, are advising residents that there will be some periods of noise, but that these periods will be intermittent and every effort will be made to avoid the night-time hours.

“We cannot emphasise enough that we have no wish to disturb anyone, but these essential safety tests are unavoidable,” says Director Ian Crummack. “There will be some noise during the next couple of weeks, on and off, but this will gradually decrease as the second steam turbine is commissioned. This disturbance is temporary and will not occur during normal plant operation. We are doing all we can to mitigate the noise generated during testing and to make the testing period as short as possible.”

Testing of the first generating line is almost complete and it is unlikely to require further substantial commissioning work of the sort which generates audible noise levels beyond the site boundary.  The second line, which is subject to the current testing regime, should be brought on-line by the end of August if the results are favourable. 

The power station should be fully operational by the end of 2010. As one of the most advanced gas-fired power stations in the UK, Severn Power will be capable of generating up to 824MW (megawatts) of electricity: enough to meet the average needs of 1.5 million homes.