A major overhaul and upgrade programme has been completed at one of Europe’s largest and most efficient combined cycle gas-fired power stations.

The upgrade programme at RWE Generation UK’s 2200 MW Pembroke Power Station has significantly improved the efficiency and flexibility of the plant, which plays a vital role for the UK in maintaining security of supply and supporting its transition to a lower carbon future.

The station is now performing more efficiently than ever at over 60 per cent and is predicted to cut its emissions of CO2 by an impressive 0.6 million tonnes over the next decade.

And it’s not only the upgrade that has peaked the station’s performance. Teams of skilled operators and engineers have been working hard to achieve new levels of flexibility for the plant.

Importantly, the station can now react even more quickly to changes in consumer power demand, with the ability to reach its full output within just 45 minutes. When the UK’s energy system is under stress, the station can balance its output quickly against other energy supplies such as wind and solar, playing a key role in keeping the country’s lights on.

Based on current predictions, the upgraded turbines are now expected to provide as much as seven per cent of the UK’s flexible power each year - making a significant contribution to the UK’s energy supply.

The upgrades were completed within just nine months and took 0.5 million man hours to complete. All this happened whilst the station continued its daily operations: a complex feat, which relied upon the skills of RWE Generation’s talented experts.

The upgrades coincided with the first major service outages since the station began operations in 2012. Since then the station has generated flexible energy to meet the needs of 3.5 million homes and has started up around 3,100 times!

Andrew Morgan, station manager, said: “Completing this major programme of works will ensure that Pembroke continues to play a vital role in meeting the energy needs of the country whilst securing high quality jobs and a much needed economic contribution to the local economy.

“Through leading edge technology, operated and maintained by world class staff, our environmental performance and flexibility have been further enhanced. These are the vital components to operate successfully in the evolving energy landscape.”