Information for Thameside Energy Recovery Facility (previously "Tilbury Green Power Facility"), Former Cargill Sweeteners Plant, Tilbury Dock
Status: PotentialPlanning Region: East of England
Planning Sub-Region: Essex
Operator: Viridor / KKR
Capacity: 379,658
Campaign Group(s): Biofuelwatch
Notes: In March 2020 the Secretary of State for BEIS approved a variation to increase capacity from 280ktpa to 350ktpa of MSW, C&I, SRF or RDF Source. Planning permission granted for 600ktpa wood burning incinerator in 2009, and extended in August 2015 to allow construction to commence by August 2015 [Source]. Permission to vary to allow 300ktpa of SRF, MSW and C&I to be burned at the incinerator submitted in August 2011 [Source]. Obtained £35m of GIB funding in March 2015 [Source]. In February 2019 Tilbury Green Power submitted a variation application to BEIS under the Electricity Act which stated: "Planning permission (13/01179/FUL) was granted by Thurrock Council for an amended Waste Wood Storage and Processing facility in April 2014...A decision to change the initial concept (30 MWe waste wood biomass plant and a 30 MWe waste to energy plant) to a 40 MWe waste wood biomass and a 20 MWe waste to energy facility was made in 2013, based on financial assessment of the project...For the second generating unit, it is proposed to convert 350,000 tonnes per annum of waste material delivered to the Phase 2 unit to electricity...The proposed Phase 2 configuration will consist of conventional moving grate combustion technology" [Source]. A permit variation application for 350ktpa of capacity went out for consultation in February 2023 (EPR/WP3007LM/V002). In October 2023 Thameside Energy Recovery Facility Limited applied to increase permitted capacity from 170,000/350,000 tpa to 379,658 tpa and this was approved in January 2024 (EPR/WP3007LM/V002). In May 2024 the Environment Agency listed the facility status as "construction not started". In November 2024 it was reported that the project had reached financial close and that "construction will begin shortly, marking the next phase of the project" [Source, Source]. It was reported in June 2025 that "The facility remains on track for commercial operation in 2028" and that the construction work to date had comprised of ground clearance (i.e. "groundwork and substructure activities") [Source]. (Entry updated 2025-07-31)
Entry on WikiWaste:
https://wikiwaste.org.uk/index.php/Thameside_Energy_Recovery_FacilityAnnual Performance Report files:
36-AnnualPerformanceReport-2019.pdf36-AnnualPerformanceReport-2021.xlsm
36-AnnualPerformanceReport-2022.xlsm
Permit files:
36-Permit-2024.pdfPermit Decision files:
36-PermitDecision-2024.pdfPermit Variation files:
36-PermitVariation-2024.pdfPermit Variation Decision files:
36-PermitVariationDecision-2024.pdfEnvironment Agency Compliance Assessment Reports
View compliance documents for this incineratorView the full UKWIN incinerator compliance index
Historic permit-related documents
See historic documents relating to permit WP3007LMStandard notice:
UKWIN (and therefore the UKWIN map) focuses on Municipal Waste Incinerators, whereas our colleagues at Biofuelwatch focus on biomass projects. If you are interested in biomass incinerators (including waste wood plants) over 20MW then please see the Biofuelwatch map of UK Biomass Power Stations. Those concerned about biomass plants, including waste wood plants, should email Biofuelwatch at biofuelwatch[at]gmail.com.Please be aware: There is always room for improvement, so please send updates to coordinator@ukwin.org.uk. Existing Incinerator means a facility that is operational or under construction/commissioning. A Potential Incinerator is a facility where there is a proposal for an incinerator (e.g. planning application or planning consent) or other reason to believe an incinerator might be built/proposed in the future. A Prevented Incinerator is something which used to be a proposal or expected incinerator which we do not believe is currently being progressed (e.g. because the project was cancelled, planning permission refused, or years have gone by since the permission was granted without any progress) - in some cases a facility marked as prevented is being progressed without us being aware or is subsequently revived. Capacity is usually the permitted or maximum advertised capacity of the facility.