Cleaning Kilroot

and consortium partner

have won a contract from

to fit new environmental technology to two 220 MW coal/oil-fired generating units at the Kilroot power station, near

.

AMEC and Alstom will jointly undertake project management with AMEC responsible for planning, site management, civil and structural design and construction management.

Alstom will supply the seawater flue gas desulphurisation (SWFGD) air pollution control system that will reduce sulphur dioxide emissions in line with EU emission requirements, as specified in the ‘Large Combustion Plant Directive’ (LCPD).

Work begins immediately and will continue throughout 2006 and 2007.

Flue gas desulphurisation plants remove approximately 95 per cent of the sulphur dioxide produced when generating electricity from coal.

The SWFGD system will use the power plant’s seawater coolant to treat the sulphur dioxide from the flue gas. Seawater is alkaline and absorbs and neutralises acidic gases such as sulphur dioxide.

The process does not require any additional chemicals and the only the by-product is dissolved sulphate, which is already a major constituents of seawater, thereby ensuring that the discharged water remains fully compliant with the environmental regulations.

“Energy supply and the environment are two growing international issues and we are now well positioned for future emission-reduction projects that may be required because of new European legislation,” commented Steve Lee, managing director of AMEC’s industrial business.