Impact of Fire on Ferrybridge Power Station

RNS Number : 9617N

SSE PLC

31 July 2014

 



SSE plc

IMPACT OF FIRE ON FERRYBRIDGE POWER STATION

At around 2.00pm today a serious fire impacted Units 3 and 4 of SSE's Ferrybridge C power station in West Yorkshire.  All persons on site have been accounted for and there are no reported injuries. 

SSE's practised emergency response procedures were immediately activated and it is currently in the process of ensuring the site is made secure and safe.  The affected area in the site vicinity has been isolated by police and the West Yorkshire Ambulance Service hazardous area response team are also present.

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service remains in attendance and is dealing with the incident with support from SSE engineers.  It has indicated the fire is now being brought under control. 

Due to planned maintenance neither of the affected Units had been operational over the summer and therefore had not been supplying power to the National Grid at the time of today's incident.

SSE will be undertaking an investigation to establish the full extent of damage in due course.  Early indications show the fire itself started in Unit 4 but has also had some impact on Unit 3.  SSE does not currently expect Unit 4 to return to service in this financial year; Unit 3 is not expected to return to service before 1 November. 

While the extent of the impact of the fire will not be clear for some time, it clearly adds to the challenging business environment described by SSE in its Interim Management Statement on 17 July.

Meanwhile, SSE's immediate priority is to manage the incident to ensure the safety of employees, contractors and the local community.

 

END

 

 

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