Kingsnorth was built on the site of the former World War 1 airship base RNAS Kingsnorth between 1963 and 1973 by the Central Electricity Generating
Board (CEGB). The four-unit station was operated by energy firm eon UK, and had a generating capacity of 1,940 megawatts. It was capable of operating on
either coal or oil though in practice oil was used only as a secondary fuel or for startup. It was also capable of co-firing biofuel, up to a maximum of
10% of the station's fuel mix.
The station closed as a result of the EU's Large Combustion Plant Directive (LCPD), which requires stations that are not equipped with Flue Gas
Desulphurisation (FGD) technology to close after 20,000 hours of operation from 1 January 2008 or the end of 2015, which ever comes first. Kingsnorth
ceased generation on 17 December 2012, having consumed all its LCPD hours.
Over the years Kingsnorth made the press quite a few times, most well known was when Greenpeace painted "Gordon" down the chimney in October 2007. It
was supposed to read "Gordon,bin it" but they stopped when served with a High Court injunction.
There was also Climate camp in August 2008, Greenpeace Occupation a couple of months after that, and then a month later unit 2 was taken offline for 4
hours after a lone protester entered the plant and shut down the turbine.
Lit up like an explorers Christmas tree, amoungst the electric fence, CCTV and security patrols, being next to Damhead Creek, a live Power station, this
needed to be executed with a bit of caution. Props to Kn0xy for never thinking anywhere near the box, and Maniac for firming up
We didn't abseil the chimney like Greenpeace, but one of us might of had dreadlocks...
Board (CEGB). The four-unit station was operated by energy firm eon UK, and had a generating capacity of 1,940 megawatts. It was capable of operating on
either coal or oil though in practice oil was used only as a secondary fuel or for startup. It was also capable of co-firing biofuel, up to a maximum of
10% of the station's fuel mix.
The station closed as a result of the EU's Large Combustion Plant Directive (LCPD), which requires stations that are not equipped with Flue Gas
Desulphurisation (FGD) technology to close after 20,000 hours of operation from 1 January 2008 or the end of 2015, which ever comes first. Kingsnorth
ceased generation on 17 December 2012, having consumed all its LCPD hours.
Over the years Kingsnorth made the press quite a few times, most well known was when Greenpeace painted "Gordon" down the chimney in October 2007. It
was supposed to read "Gordon,bin it" but they stopped when served with a High Court injunction.
There was also Climate camp in August 2008, Greenpeace Occupation a couple of months after that, and then a month later unit 2 was taken offline for 4
hours after a lone protester entered the plant and shut down the turbine.
Lit up like an explorers Christmas tree, amoungst the electric fence, CCTV and security patrols, being next to Damhead Creek, a live Power station, this
needed to be executed with a bit of caution. Props to Kn0xy for never thinking anywhere near the box, and Maniac for firming up
We didn't abseil the chimney like Greenpeace, but one of us might of had dreadlocks...
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