Thames Water to use renewable energy for its water and wastewater services in UK

UK based utility Thames Water has signed a £500m long-term deal with Haven Power to use 100% renewable energy for its water and wastewater services.

Under five year deal, Haven Power, a unit of Drax Group will supply green power to the water utility.

Thames Water has an option to renew the deal for two more five-year terms, which can raise its value of the deal to more than £1.5bn over 15 years.

The water utility is already tapping 20% of its electricity requirement from renewable sources which it generates from solar, wind, hydro and biogas, while the deal will help the company meet all its energy requirement from renewable sources.

Thames Water energy manager Angus Berry said: "Our energy and carbon strategy centres around reducing costs for customers and minimising our impact on the environment.

"This deal with Haven puts downward pressure on bills and means we will now be using 100% renewable electricity.

"We look forward to growing our relationship with Haven to exploit further opportunities to minimise energy costs and emissions, as well as continuing to work towards our ambitious target of self-generating 30% of our own electricity by 2020."

Haven Power is largest independent electricity supplier for businesses in the country. The firm sources green energy from the Drax power facility, which is located in Selby, Yorkshire.

Presently, Drax is undergoing a major transformation programme under which, it will convert its 4MW coal-fired power facility in to using biomass as fuel.

Drax Group chief executive Dorothy Thompson said: "As the UK looks to decarbonise in an affordable and pragmatic way, it is pioneering companies like Thames that are leading the way."

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Image: Thames Water’s sludge powered generator at Crossness sewage works in east London. Photo: courtesy of Thames Water Utilities Limited.