A major integrated energy company, with operations spanning from energy sourcing and generation to the supply of gas and electricity to millions, envisioned becoming the most trusted energy leader in the shift toward a low-carbon future.
Their turbine power station used mains water in its demineralisation plant for boiler-feed production—a common but costly process with significant financial and environmental impacts, from chemical regeneration, rinse water, waste chemicals, and wastewater disposal.
As part of a collaborative innovation project with our parent company Anglian Water, we approached the power station with a proposal to supply high-purity water via an advanced membrane process, utilising sewage works final effluent as its raw water source.
This approach would reduce reliance on mains water while addressing operational issues in the station’s demineralisation plant.
With sustainability high on their corporate agenda, our client was eager to proceed with the design, construction, and operation of a treatment plant that would deliver both financial and environmental advantages through the supply of ultra-pure water for boiler feed production.
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Following successful feasibility and site trials, a 10-year Design, Build, Finance and Operate (DBFO) contract was signed for the Flag Fen Water Reuse Plant (Peterborough) which operated successfully from 2000 to 2012.
Commissioned in October 2000, the water reuse plant was installed on land at the Flag Fen sewage treatment works. The final effluent from the municipal sewage treatment plant was treated at the water recycling plant using a combination of Ultra-Filtration (UF) and Reverse Osmosis (RO) membrane technology to supply the ultra-pure water for use at the power station via an installed 1.5km pipeline.
The high-tech fully automated plant ran on a supply-on-demand basis, benefitting from telemetry, remote access and regular proactive operator maintenance, providing stable and reliable performance.
The recycling plant comprised three main elements:
At the time of commissioning, it was one of only two membrane effluent recycling plants in the world. Its successful delivery and operation demonstrates the certain feasibility of sewage treatment final effluent as an effective water resource.
Alpheus successfully operated the Flag Fen water reuse plant for over 12 years (until the power plant closed), supplying high-purity water to the power station and delivering substantial financial, environmental, and social benefits to the customer.
These performance improvements led to:
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