ScottishPower has confirmed that the 778ft chimney stack at the former Inverkip Power Station site near Greenock – the largest free standing structure in Scotland - is due to be demolished by explosive charge later this month.
The demolition is planned for 10pm on Sunday 28th July, which has been agreed following a range of positive discussions with the local authority, police and railway companies.
Dylan Hughes, ScottishPower Project Manager, said: “The demolition plan for the chimney stack at Inverkip has been taken following months of discussions with experts including vibration specialists, explosives engineers and ecologists. We have also been working closely with the Police and Inverclyde Council and the relevant railway authorities to ensure that the event will be managed safely.”
The removal of the chimney stack will mark the end of a power station that was never able to fully operate as intended. Inverkip was an oil fired power station granted planning consent by the Secretary of State for Scotland in March 1970. Construction commenced in October that year of a station consisting of 3 x 676 MW units, with a total generating capacity of 2028 MW.
The station was designed to meet peak demand and provide flexibility to the electricity supply network. However due to the soaring price of oil in the 1970’s the station was never commercially operated except during 1984/5 when it was required to operate due to coal shortages. The plant was kept as a strategic reserve until the late 1990’s when the plant was mothballed.
Inverkip’s chimney is the tallest free standing structure in Scotland and third tallest in the UK. It is 236m (778ft) high and contains more than 1,400,000 bricks and 20,000 tonnes of concrete.
Media Information: Paul Ferguson, 0141 614 4535 / 07702 665 924