Drax Power Station

Opened in 1974 and extended in the mid-1980s, the station was initially operated by the Central Electricity Generating Board, since privatisation in 1990 ownership has changed several times, and it is currently operated by Drax Group plc. Completed in 1986, it is the newest coal-fired power station in England, flue gas desulphurisation equipment was fitted between 1988 and 1995; high and low pressure turbines were replaced between 2007 and 2012. Because of its large size, the station is the UK’s single largest emitter of carbon dioxide.

The station is currently (c.2010) co-firing biomass; in 2012 the company announced plans to convert up to three generating units to solely biomass, burning 7.5 million tonnes imported from the United States and Canada.

In 2012 Paramount Group where awarded the contract to deliver the new LAN and Security fibre-optic backbone infrastructure for the new Biomass facility with a nett worth of approx. £100k. once works where underway and the Paramount team where over-delivering repeatedly on performance, timescales and budget a request from the main contractor to engage as an addition to our works; a second optical-fibre project plus data network infrastructure and PLC works was agreed. The Drax project in total accounted more than 37 miles of MM and SM 24core and 48core Optical-fibre and 20km of armoured Cat5e and delivered a project worth in excess of nett £500k.

To date the Paramount Group retains its relationship with both the main contractor and Drax power, and has future plans to re-engage on the up-coming projects currently being designed.