Energy bosses have unveiled a new £380m 840MW power station in Marchwood which has transformed the community’s skyline.

Standing on the site of the former oil-burning station in Marchwood Industrial Park, the new Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) facility is the first large-scale gas-fired power station to be built in the UK for more than five years.

Around 45 people work at the new power plant and more than 1,000 people, mostly from the local area, were employed to help build it in a three year construction project.

Chairman of Marchwood Power Ltd, Graham Juggins said that links with the local community in Marchwood was very important after choosing to develop the facility on the unused site of the old power station.

“Where-ever possible Marchwood Power places contracts with local suppliers,” he said.

“There has been a power station on this site since 1952. The original power station was 35 per cent efficient and burnt oil – that became uneconomic and closed down.

“We are standing today in one of the most efficient power stations in the world with 58 per cent.”

The station takes natural gas from the national grid via a 23km pipeline.

Energy efficiency is maintained by using compressed air and gas to power one turbine and the exhaust gases from that process to boil water and power a steam turbine.

Water from the River Test is also used as part of the cooling process.

The station was developed by ESB International with Scottish and Southern Energy.

An open day is planned for local residents later this year.