Prysmian safeguards biomass facility

Prysmian has supplied its FP cable for what is said to be the largest renewable biomass co-firing project anywhere in the world, at the Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire.

Both FP200 Gold and FP400 are being fitted in the fire detection and fire alarm systems at the new £80m pound development. In total some 10 km of FP400 and FP200 cables will be installed throughout the new facility.

"We wanted to use this cable from the start," explains Andrew Hutchison, service director of Faelsafe, the specialist fire alarm subcontractor that designed and installed the fire detection and alarm system. "The main reason being its reliability and, having used the cables before, we know they meet the strict requirements for fire performance cables as set out in BS5839-1:2002+A2:2008. Having looked at other comparable products on the market, we are safe in the knowledge the FP cables fully comply with our requirements for safety and quality, whilst offering minimum installed cost."

Hutchison continued, "We have to date installed approximately 2,000 m of FP400 and 3,000 m of FP200 Gold. Prysmian FP cables are easy to install, and we are on track to complete work on time by April next year."

The new facility will enable Drax Power Station to receive, handle, store, process and co-fire with coal a variety of biomass materials. The new facility enables electricity to be generated when forestry residues, agricultural bi-products and energy crops are burnt alongside coal in the existing coal-fired boilers to provide heat. This process provides benefits to the environment and the economy. It is a low cost, efficient renewable technology and as biomass directly replaces burning coal, overall CO2 emissions are reduced.