Seaham’s mine water heat project underway

A key milestone has been reached in a pioneering mine water heat project in the North East.

Work is underway to provide ultra-low carbon heating for homes in Seaham.

Durham County Council is leading the initiative, which will use treated mine water to power a district network heating 750 affordable homes at Seaham Garden Village.

The project, a collaboration with the Mining Remediation Authority, Karbon Homes and Vital Energi, which will design, build and operate the heat network, has already secured £4.3 million in Government funding, with £3.23 million earmarked for construction.

With the agreements in place, Vital Energi has begun work to construct the energy centre, which will take heat from water extracted and treated at the Dawdon Mine Water Treatment Scheme, converting it into a sustainable heat source to warm homes.

Councillor Mark Wilkes, Durham County Council’s cabinet member for neighbourhoods and climate change, said: “We are delighted to have started work on what will be the UK’s first large-scale mine water heat project using a mine water treatment scheme.

“This innovative project will have significant environmental benefits – making use of currently untapped heat to keep houses warm, and, in doing so, avoiding the need to use non-renewable sources of energy.”

Richard Bond, innovation and services director at the Mining Remediation Authority, added: “This scheme is a further milestone in our journey to harness mine water heat to provide sustainable heating solutions across the former coalfields.”

Seaham Garden Village will eventually include 1500 homes, alongside a village centre, primary school and innovation hubs. 

The first phase of 750 affordable homes, delivered by Karbon Homes and its construction partner Esh Construction, is already in development. 

Paul Fiddaman, chief executive at Karbon Homes, added: “It’s fantastic to partner with Durham County Council and the Mining Remediation Authority to connect our homes to this innovative low-carbon heat system.”

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