City to seek waste project partner under ‘Hanford 2.0’ plans

A larger waste incinerator looks set to be built in Stoke-on-Trent, as plans to replace a 30-year-old plant are slated for approval at a cabinet meeting next week.

The 250 ft-tall chimney at the Sideway Incinerator has been a local landmark since the plant was originally built in 1997, and a familiar sight for visitors and residents alike near at A500.

The Hanford Energy Recovery Facility burns 210,000 tonnes of waste every year, generating enough power for 30,000 homes in the process – but the council’s contract with Cobalt Energy for the facility runs out in 2030, and councillors are now eyeing up plans to replace the plant with a larger facility when the deal expires.

Under proposals set to go before cabinet on Tuesday, 24 February, Stoke-on-Trent City Council will seek out a preferred partner for its “Hanford 2.0” incinerator, which could be up to 38% larger than the current facility when it becomes operational in 2032.

The authority says a larger plant would “future-proof” its waste disposal operations, and deliver a range of environmental and economic benefits to the city, having ruled out other possibilities, such as refurbishing the existing site.

“The Council has carefully explored all options and has concluded that building a new, state-of-the art Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) on the Hanford site is likely to deliver the most reliable and cost-effective long-term outcomes for the city,” said a council spokesperson.

“This would be a bold and innovative proposal that would transform the way non-recyclable waste is managed and treated in Stoke-on-Trent and deliver significant environmental and financial benefits for the city.”

The council says the day-to-day environmental performance would be “significantly improved” by a more modern facility, with plans to link the incinerator to a local heat network at the Royal Stoke University Hospital, just over a mile away.

If approved, the plans could also turn the facility into a profit-making exercise for the authority, according to Cllr Finlay Gordon-McCusker, cabinet member for transport, infrastructure and regeneration at Stoke-on-Trent City Council.

“Traditionally Councils have awarded long-term contracts to large commercial waste companies to build and operate treatment plants on their behalf, and that’s what we did back in 1995. Under these arrangements, the Council pays a ‘gate fee’ for every tonne of waste it sends to the facility, which enables the waste company to repay the debt used to fund the construction of the facility and to make an operating profit.

“But we want to consider doing something different; something more commercially aware and entrepreneurial. We are exploring being the majority stakeholder in the new facility, bringing on board a minority partner to help us finance, build and run it.

“This would require some significant upfront investment, but it means that instead of paying to use the facility, the Council would make a profit from it thanks to the sale of exported electricity and heat and gate fees charged to third-party customers to treat their waste. The Council could use this money to invest in improving the city’s recycling infrastructure and other Net Zero projects to help boost recycling rates, minimise waste and reduce our environmental impact.”

If approved at next week’s meeting, the council’s procurement process is expected to begin in March. The new facility is planned to be operational by 2032.