28 February 2019 | Herpreet Kaur Grewal
A preferred bidder to build and operate the energy-from waste (EfW) plant for Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeenshire Council and Moray Council has been selected.
A multinational consortium led by global construction company Acciona was chosen after a two-year procurement process by the NESS Energy Project team.
Acciona will lead the project using its own in-house construction skills to build the plant, and experienced waste company Indaver will then operate the plant for a 20-year contract period.
Indaver currently owns and operates EfW facilities in Ireland, Belgium and Netherlands.
The £150 million plant will take non-recyclable waste from Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, and Moray councils and burn it cleanly and completely conforming to the latest strict European standards for emissions. The energy produced will be sent to a district heating network.
The plant is due to be built by 2022 in the East Tullos area of Aberdeen and planning permission was granted in October 2016. From 1 January 2021, Scottish councils will be banned from putting any biodegradable municipal waste into landfill.
A final decision on whether to proceed with the project will be taken individually by the three councils in early March. Each council will be asked to approve the recommendation to award and the inter-authority agreement that defines how the councils will work together. The deal will then be signed shortly after.
The three councils decided to work together in 2015 to secure a long-term waste management solution for the north-east of Scotland, with the tender notice issued early 2017.
Linda Ovens, project director, said: "Reaching this point in the procurement is a testament to the effort and hard work afforded by the project team and the bidders."
Ramón Jiménez, from Acciona, said: "This project is an important milestone for Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, and Moray Councils, as it will provide a more efficient and clean waste management system in line with European emission standards."