ENERGY
POWERING
TEESSIDE’ S FUTURE
The future- Ian Hunter managing director of NZT Power( far right), Rich Denny managing director of NEP( far left) with Geoff Holmes CEO of px Group and other colleagues from px with Andy McDonald MP and Ben Houchen on the announcement of the OEM contract award to the Teesside-based company.
Local businesses at the heart of NZT Power
Teesside has always been a place that builds things.
From steel, chemicals and heavy engineering to world-leading process industries, generations of people from the Teesside region have helped power the UK economy.
Today, NZT Power is building on that heritage while creating new opportunities for local businesses, workers and communities.
For those unfamiliar with the project, NZT Power is a new gas-fired power station being built on the site of the former Redcar steelworks at Teesworks.
What makes it different is that it will capture and permanently store around 95 % of the carbon dioxide produced during electricity generation.
Alongside the Northern Endurance Partnership, which is developing the infrastructure needed to transport and store carbon dioxide safely beneath the North Sea, the project forms a key part of the wider East Coast Cluster, the government-backed decarbonised industrial cluster linking Teesside and the Humber.
But what matters most to many Teesside businesses is the economic opportunity being created here at home. Since construction began, hundreds of companies have been involved in delivering different aspects of the project. Large contractors, specialist engineering firms, plant operators, transport providers, fabrication specialists and local businesses have all played a role in bringing this major investment to life.
One of the strongest examples is px Group, headquartered in Thornaby and a long-established part of Teesside’ s industrial landscape.
The company has been appointed to operate and maintain NZT Power’ s carbon capture facility and the Northern Endurance Partnership’ s onshore compression infrastructure once construction is complete.
This represents a long-term operational role that will support more than 100 local, high-quality jobs and help ensure the skills needed to run this new generation of energy infrastructure remain firmly rooted in the region.
Other contracts are helping expand the capabilities of companies that have been part of Teesside’ s industrial base for many years.
At Billingham, Cavendish Northern has
Local roots- Mark Hodgson managing director of Coatham Coaches who are providing a park and ride service for NZT Power.
been carrying out pipework fabrication work that supports skilled trades including welding and pipefitting.
Similarly, Barrier Group, operating from Haverton Hill, has been delivering specialist engineering services for the project from its Teesside facility.
Building on this momentum, contracts awarded to Cavendish Northern and GR Potter Plant Hire are set to deliver a major employment boost, creating approximately 130 new jobs in the region.
The involvement of GR Potter Plant Hire highlights how local plant and equipment specialists are being directly integrated into the project’ s delivery, keeping investment and employment firmly within the Tees Valley.
Importantly, the benefits are also being felt further down the supply chain.
Local and regional businesses such
70 | Tees Business