EDF sells its sole UK gas-fired plant

French energy giant EDF has reached an agreement with private investment fund EIG to sell its 1.332-GW combined-cycle gas turbine power station and 49-MW battery at West Burton B in the UK, it said April 12.

Both parties aim to complete the transaction as soon as possible in 2021, subject to all applicable regulatory authorisations. There was no price attached to the deal. West Burton B comprises three units and it is EDF's only gas-fired power station in the UK, its others being nuclear, renewable and one coal plant due to close soon. It has been operational since 2013 and it earned a lot of money this winter in particular on the sale of power at record prices, netting £4,000/MWh on January 8.

EIG is the owner of Harbour Energy, which has bought UK gas production from ConocoPhillips (effective 2018) and more recently it took over Premier Oil in an all-share deal. It had $22bn under management as of December 31, 2020.