Fiddler’s Ferry on whether it will reopen to ease energy crisis

It comes amid warnings that planned energy blackouts could be needed this winter for the first time since miners’ strikes and the oil crisis in the 1970s.

This is due to Russian president Vladimir Putin limiting gas supplies to Europe in retaliation for sanctions linked to his invasion of Ukraine.

In what it called an ‘unlikely’ scenario, the National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO) said that households and businesses might face planned three-hour outages to ensure that the grid does not collapse.

Possible solutions have been suggested, including paying people to charge their electric cars at off-peak times and firing up back-up coal plants.

Fiddler’s Ferry, located in Cuerdley, along with its iconic cooling towers which dominate the surrounding landscape, closed in March 2020 after nearly 50 years in operation.

No power is being generated, with the site now being fully decommissioned.

Grand plans for the future of the 820-acre site were unveiled in July, including fresh industrial usage and a residential neighbourhood.

As such, plans have been submitted to begin the demolition process, which it is anticipated will begin before the end of the year.

When asked if there was any possibility that Fiddler’s Ferry could reopen and begin producing electricity as a coal powered power station, directors confirmed this will not happen.

Kieran Tames, development director at Peel NRE which now owns the site, said: “Fiddler’s Ferry was decommissioned as a working power station in 2020 by SSE.

“This is in line with the Government’s plan to close coal-fired power plants by 2024, which is still in place.

“While the Government discusses delaying the closure of some of these plants to help provide fuel over the winter, it is not possible to power up Fiddler’s Ferry again.

“It was disconnected from the national grid as part of the decommissioning process and the equipment is no longer suitable after not being used for several years.”