SUEZ to supply Wheelabrator plants with 500,000 tonnes of residual waste

SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK and Wheelabrator Technologies announced today (27 January) the signing of four long-term residual waste supply contracts.

As a result, SUEZ will supply three of Wheelabrator’s proposed waste-to-energy facilities in Leeds, West Bromwich and Kent with over 500,000 tonnes per year of residual waste in total.

With SUEZ currently diverting over 2 million tonnes per year of residual waste from landfill, the four contracts will further support it in avoiding £188.3 million of landfill taxes (based on the current levy and excluding fees for associated incinerator bottom ash).

The proposed energy-from-waste (EfW) plants are expected to be fully operational by 2024/25, with Multifuel Energy Limited Skelton Grange in Leeds and Wheelabrator Kelvin in West Bromwich already having been granted with planning permission and environmental permits.

Wheelabrator will begin construction on Kemsley North in Kent by the second quarter of next year. The three facilities will collectively export 117 MW (net) energy, enough to power 288,000 homes.

John Scanlon, Chief Executive Officer for SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK, said: “We are pleased to build on our partnership with Wheelabrator UK with this suite of new supply contracts. 

“Enhancing our network of facilities around the UK is essential to providing our customers with solutions for their waste that avoid landfill and create value from the materials they are unable to recycle.
“Supplying Wheelabrator UK’s new facilities as they come online will provide us with resilience and the ability to meet our customers’ current and future needs, and to promote the long-term growth of our activities.”

Julia Watsford, Managing Director of Wheelabrator UK, said: “We welcome the long-term partnership with SUEZ to supply our three new waste-to-energy facilities which will commence construction in 2021.

“The SUEZ waste supply agreements are a testament to the commitment of our team members and partners to Make A Difference and provide sustainable waste management infrastructure for the UK.
“I would like to thank Wheelabrator UK and SUEZ for continuing to work diligently and safely during coronavirus to ensure we remain on track to deliver these projects and support the green recovery in the UK.”