Plans lodged for emergency diesel generators at power station

Nation.Cymru staff

Plans have been submitted to install emergency diesel generators at a major Welsh power station to ensure it can remain operational in the event of a National Grid shutdown.

Energy firm RWE Generation UK plc has lodged a screening application with the county council to site up to six containerised diesel generators at Pembroke Power Station, along with fuel storage tanks and associated electrical connections.

The proposals, submitted via engineering consultancy Ove Arup & Partners, are designed to provide a standalone backup system capable of operating independently from the existing plant.

Pembroke Power Station, a combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) facility which began operating in 2012, has a generating capacity of around 2,199 megawatts. The site replaced an earlier oil-fired station that was decommissioned in 1999.

According to supporting documents, the proposed generators would only be used in emergency situations to maintain the station’s operational readiness in the event of a partial or total failure of the National Grid.

The application states the development would not increase the station’s generating capacity or alter its normal operations.

Instead, the system is intended to meet new resilience requirements under the Grid Code, which mandates that large power stations must be capable of helping restore electricity supply following a widespread outage.

The documents say the station does not currently meet these updated standards and requires enhanced backup power systems to comply by the deadline of December 31, 2026.

RWE said the new installation would allow the site to remain “ready to operate” during network failures, with provision for up to 120 hours of operation under emergency conditions.

The company added that this level of resilience is considered beneficial by the National Energy System Operator in certain crisis scenarios.

Construction is expected to begin in July 2026, subject to approval, with work likely to last between nine and 12 months.

The application will be considered by Pembrokeshire County Council planners at a later date.