The Dash for Gas was the significant shift by the newly privatized electric companies in the United Kingdom towards generation of electricity using natural gas during the 1990s.
The key reasons for this shift were[1]: (a) political: the privatisation of the UK electricity industry in 1990; the regulatory change that allowed gas to be used as a fuel for power generation; (b) economic: the high interest rates of the time, which favoured quick to build gas turbine power stations over the larger but slower-to-build coal and nuclear power stations; the decline in wholesale gas prices; the desire by the Regional Electricity Companies to diversify their sources of electricity supply and establish foothold in the profitable generation market; (c) technical: advances in electricity generation technology (specifically Combined cycle Gas Turbine generators (CCGT) with higher relative efficiencies and lower capital costs. An underpinning factor in the Dash for Gas was the recent development of North Sea gas.
As at the end of 2010, the dash for gas was the last major transformational change to have happened to the UK’s energy system. In 1990, gas turbine power stations comprised 5% of the UK's generating capacity, by 2002 the new CCGT power stations comprised 28% of UK generating capacity with gas turbines comprising a further 2%. It is estimated the Dash for Gas cost £11bn.[2]
Gas-fired power stations with more than 30MW installed capacity commissioned between 1990 and 2002 are listed below.[3]
| Year of commission or year generation began | Power Station Name | Installed capacity, MW | Location (Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, or English region) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Roosecote Power Station | 229 | North West England |
| 1992 | Teesside Power Station | 1875[4] (210 after suspension in 2011) | North East England |
| 1993 | Glanford Brigg Power Station | 260 | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| 1993 | Killingholme Power Station B | 900 | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| 1993 | Peterborough Power Station | 405 | East of England |
| 1993 | Rye House Power Station | 715 | East of England |
| 1993 | Corby Power Station | 401 | East Midlands |
| 1994 | Killingholme Power Station A | 665 | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| 1994 | Keadby Power Station | 749 | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| 1994 | Barking Power Station | 1000 | London |
| 1994 | Derwent Power Station | 228 | East Midlands |
| 1994 | Deeside Power Station | 500 | Wales |
| 1994 | Knapton Power Station | 40 | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| 1995 | Charterhouse St Power Station | 31 | London |
| 1995 | Fellside Power Station | 180 | North West England |
| 1995 | Little Barford Power Station | 665 | East of England |
| 1995 | Medway Power Station | 688 | South East England |
| 1996 | Connah's Quay Power Station | 1380 | Wales |
| 1996 | South Humber Bank Power Station | 1285 | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| 1996 | Kings Lynn Power Station | 340 | East of England |
| 1998 | Barry Power Station | 230 | Wales |
| 1998 | Didcot B Power Station | 1430 | South East England |
| 1998 | Rocksavage Power Station | 810 | North West England |
| 1998 | Thornhill Power Station | 50 | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| 1998 | Seabank 1 Power Station | 812 | South West England |
| 1999 | Cottam Development Centre | 390 | East Midlands |
| 1999 | Sutton Bridge Power Station | 819 | East Midlands |
| 1999 | Enfield Power Station | 408 | London |
| 1999 | Sandbach Power Station | 50 | North West England |
| 2000 | Damhead Creek Power Station | 800 | South East England |
| 2000 | Salt End Power Station | 1200 | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| 2000 | Seabank 2 Power Station | 410 | South West England |
| 2000 | Shoreham Power Station | 400 | South East England |
| 2000 | Fife Power Station | 123 (before closed in March 2011) | Scotland |
| 2001 | Coryton Power Station | 753 | East of England |
| 2001 | Great Yarmouth Power Station | 420 | East of England |
| 2001 | Shotton Power Station | 45 | Wales |
| 2002 | Baglan Bay Power Station | 510 | Wales |
| 2002 | Castleford Power Station | 56 | Yorkshire and the Humber |