Issue - meetings

RESOLVED: That the Committee:

a)    Note the evidence presented.

b)    Consider the evidence as part of its Communal Heating Systems Review Report.

3.1      Councillor Hilton addressed the meeting about her visit to Bunhill Heat and Power. The key points to note were:

§  Islington Council’s approach was to look at the borough’s heat-map and then plan its communal heating accordingly.

§  There were 720 council homes, 162 private homes and 2 leisure centres connected to the Bunhill Power centre.

§  Bunhill Power Centre is owned and managed by Islington Council, with a back-up generator system available if necessary.

§  Phrase 2 of the project will look to connect the heating system to other parts of the borough, and also try to utilise other power sources in the borough.

§  Unused electricity generated is sold back to the National Grid.

§  The price is set by the Council through a service charge; there is no individual metering of properties.

3.2       Councillor Hooks addressed the meeting about his visit to Pimlico District Housing Unit (PDHU). The key points to note were:

§  The PDHU has been in existence since the early 1950s and originally used waste heat from Battersea Power Station to supply housing. The system was upgraded in 2006 with a £6.9million boiler plant being added to the system, able to heat an additional 1,400 homes.

§  The system provides heating and hot water services to 3,256 homes, 50 commercial premises and three schools in the area.

§  The system is owned by Westminster Council and managed by CityWest Homes.

§  It is priced by a service charge; there is no individual metering of properties.

§  Those who manage the system work closely with a User Group to keep prices low and manageable.

§  They are able to store water overnight to manage the use of heat and power and on the rare occasions when there are problems with the system.

§  There is an approximate 7% loss of heat in the residential blocks.

§  Individuals are able to leave the heating system if they so wish; however no-one has requested to leave as yet.

3.3       Councillor De Ryk addressed the meeting about her visit to SELCHP. The key points to note were:

• The waste from Lewisham and other boroughs contracted to SELCHP is converted to heat and power.
• Communal Heating is used to power approximately 2,500 Southwark properties, across a number of estates in Southwark, a leisure centre and a number of businesses.
• There is a back-up system of boilers on each estate in case there is a failure in the communal heating system.
• The use of heat exchanges to convert energy for use in a communal heating system has led to more much more energy being used than previously.
• The system should be sustainable over a period of time and the potential to expand to cover more properties.

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3.4       In response to questions from the Committee, the following was noted:

• The Committee would like to know more about the pricing system at Bunhill and PDHU.
• There could be potential to expand the communal heating system operated from SELCHP’s waste energy  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3