Drax is considering conversion to natural gas of coal-fired capacity at its North Yorkshire site, 

the UK generator said Wednesday. 

Announcing  six-month  results,  Drax  chief executive Dorothy Thompson said the company's 

research  and  innovation  team had identified "potentially attractive options to repurpose our 

remaining coal assets." 

This was a reference to an early-stage proposal to convert Drax's coal capacity to gas. It has 

three 645 MW coal units remaining. 

Conversion to gas would "exploit infrastructure and grid access" at Drax's generation site nea

r Selby, and be eligible for 15-year Capacity Market contracts, Drax said. 

Drax  has  also been  testing one of its two coal units to burn 100% compressed wood pellets, 

Thompson said. The company has already converted three 645 MW units to biomass. 

"The  unit  has  performed  well  but  there  is further work to do to ensure that it delivers high 

output reliably and safely on a sustained basis, which we believe is achievable," she said. 

Drax would continue the trial through the summer, returning the unit to coal fuelling this winter 

"to ensure high availability through the colder months," Thompson said. 

Meanwhile the generator said two of its four 299 MW rapid response gas projects were ready 

to participate in the February 2018 capacity auction. 

Drax  would  be  looking  to  secure  15-year  contracts  for capacity delivery starting in winter 

2021-22. The units failed to win contracts in a previous round. 

Permits  were  being  secured  for  the other two units to allow them to participate in the 2019 

capacity auction, Drax said. 

First half 2017 electricity output of 10.7 TWh was down 0.2 TWh year on year. This comprise

d biomass-fired generation of 7.3 TWh and coal-fired generation of 3.4 TWh, both stable on 

the year. 

As  at  July  12,  2017  Drax  had  2017  contracted  power  sales  of 18.8 TWh at an average 

achieved price of GBP45.9/MWh ($57/MWh), and 11 TWh at GBP42.2/MWh for 2018.