In an exclusive interview with Utility Week, EPH UK chief executive Neil O’Hara revealed the company is looking at a number of sites for potential new-build gas power stations. However, he warned the current capacity market will have to change if it is to bring forward new-build.
O’Hara added that EPH is in the process of “several” negotiations to acquire existing power stations. He said: “We’re very comfortable with taking on low load factor coal and dealing with some of the other issues around coal, through our preference is clearly going to be gas.”
Utility Week can also reveal that EPH is launching Energy Scanner, a digital marketplace for SME customers to find, compare and transact their energy business. The company is in the process of signing up energy suppliers, and expects to expand into water when the non-household market opens to competition in 2017.
Utility Week revealed last week that EPH has secured a place in the 2016-7 Supplemental Balancing Reserve for Eggborough, giving the power station a one-year reprieve from its planned closure in March. The central European utility acquired Lynemouth from RWE earlier this year.