EPPM and Drax Announce 20-Year Joint Venture to Transform Legacy Coal Ash into Sustainable Fly Ash for UK Construction

EPPM and Drax Announce 20-Year Joint Venture to Transform Legacy Coal Ash into Sustainable Fly Ash for UK Construction

(IN BRIEF) EP Power Minerals GmbH (EPPM), part of Energetický a průmyslový holding (EPH), has entered into a 20-year joint venture agreement with Drax Power Limited through its subsidiary Power Minerals Limited (PML). This collaboration will create a new, state-of-the-art facility near Drax Power Station, aimed at converting legacy coal ash into fly ash—a supplementary cementitious material used in green cement and concrete production. Fly ash helps to reduce the carbon footprint of cement production, which is a major source of global CO₂ emissions. Drax, already transformed into the UK’s largest renewable electricity generator following its switch to biomass, will supply its legacy Pulverised Fuel Ash (PFA) to the joint venture and provide power for the facility. PML will construct, own, and operate the factory, which is slated to begin production by the end of 2026 with an initial capacity of 400,000 tonnes per year. The project is projected to cut at least 6 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions over its lifespan compared to conventional cement-making processes. Jan Špringl, CEO of EPH, highlighted the project’s potential to not only capitalize on legacy ash but also to establish a stable supply of high-quality fly ash, reinforcing EPPM’s leading position in the UK market and fostering sustainability in the construction sector.

(PRESS RELEASE) PRAGUE, 11-Apr-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — EP Power Minerals GmbH (EPPM), a subsidiary of Energetický a průmyslový holding (EPH), today announced a transformative 20-year joint venture between its subsidiary Power Minerals Limited (PML) and Drax Power Limited. This strategic collaboration will result in the establishment of a cutting-edge factory to process millions of tonnes of legacy coal ash into fly ash.

Fly ash, a type of Supplementary Cementitious Material (SCM), is a sustainable resource for producing green cement and concrete. The use of SCMs in the construction industry helps lower carbon emissions during cement production—a process responsible for approximately 8% of global CO₂ emissions each year.

The state-of-the-art facility will be strategically located near Drax Power Station, which has become the UK’s largest generator of renewable electricity following its transition to biomass. The power station supplies renewable electricity to around 5 million homes, and under the agreement, Drax will provide its legacy Pulverised Fuel Ash (PFA) to the joint venture while also powering the new site. PML will be responsible for constructing, owning, and operating the factory. Production at the facility is expected to start by the end of 2026, with an initial annual production capacity of 400,000 tonnes. Over the course of the project, EPPM estimates that the utilization of Drax’s PFA will reduce CO₂ emissions by at least 6 million tonnes compared to traditional cement production methods.

“This substantial investment will guarantee an opportunity to utilize large volumes of legacy ash from Drax Power Station, further realizing incremental value from the site while helping to reduce global carbon emissions. This positions us to become the leading player in the UK fly ash market for the foreseeable future,” said Jan Špringl, CEO of Energetický a průmyslový holding. He added, “This project represents not only an exciting new chapter for EPPM but also a stable flow of high-quality fly ash for the UK construction industry, driving innovation and sustainability within the sector for decades to come.”

Media Contact:

Daniel Častvaj
tel.: +420 604 211 864
e-mail: castvaj@epholding.cz

SOURCE: EPH