Waste to energy in South East London

The South-East London combined heat & power plant (SELCHP) is a 42 0000 per annum refuse incineration facility in North Deptford, Lewisham, which is the first to be constructed in Britain for almost 20 years. When it commences commercial operation, in the next few months, it will generate approximately 32 MW of electricity, of which some 29 MW will be available for export. SELCHP has become the first UK plant of this type to receive an Authorisation pursuant to the 1990 Environmental Protection Act. A number of technical issues required detailed examination and resolution in order to achieve this and to obtain planning permission, together with the electrical licences and agreements necessary to operate the plant in the privatised UK electricity supply industry (ESI). This paper discusses these issues, as well as presenting the authors´ views on the primary factors influencing how planning hurdles can be overcome and public acceptance of waste to energy technology gained