London Energy, which processes much of North London’s non-recyclable waste and generates electricity for the National Grid, depends on demineralised water to maintain its boilers and turbines. With limited on-site storage, any delay in replenishing supply risked halting waste processing altogether, with consequential impacts on landfill diversion, contractual penalties and electricity output.
The contingency solution: WaterTight assured response
To mitigate this risk, London Energy entered into a WaterTight assured response agreement with Water Direct. Under the agreement, two dedicated water tankers are guaranteed to mobilise within 14 hours of a request. Originally structured as a two-year arrangement, the contract was subsequently extended to three years, securing resilience until a planned infrastructure upgrade in 2027.
Ben Hillyear, Operations Manager at London Energy, commented:
Ben Hillyear, Operations Manager at London Energy
“This was an essential service to put in place. Given the specialist nature of the product, we knew that there could be long lead times from the point of call to delivery. Having a guaranteed response time enabled our production team to plan better and ensure the facility continued to produce power.”
Operational benefit and risk mitigation
The Edmonton, north London, facility plays a central role in the region’s waste strategy, converting non-recyclable waste into energy and helping meet landfill diversion targets. Though it operates a closed-loop water system to recycle demineralised water, ageing infrastructure and limited storage capacity made the additional contingency vital.By securing guaranteed supply through Water Direct, London Energy has strengthened its resilience planning and ensured operational stability until the planned upgrade. The case underlines the value of pre-arranged contingency measures in reducing risk for industrial operations that depend on specialist inputs.
