The Isle of Man electrical energy producer - the Manx Electricity Authority (MEA) under the leadership of its then CEO, sought the design for a new gas turbine facility in Douglas on its current but dated diesel generation site. The site location is a tight urban site near to the town centre and called for an exceptional design solution. The client driven desire to see this realised allowed for the opportunity for an exceptional design solution. The scheme was developed with a planar glazed envelope that enclosed GE gas turbine hall and turbines producing 70+GW of energy. The plant also had air cooling for the steam waste and the energy also heating pipework that warmed the adjacent pool water of the National Sports Centre. The project overall involved the bringing onshore of natural gas from the Scottish / Irish pipeline and this supply was then reticulated to all households of the 85,000 population on the Island. The Island was also export and import energy by a sea interconnector cable. Engineering was undertaken by WSP Parsons Brinkerhoff a global engineering company. The scheme included a significant lighting scheme by Jonathon Spier which received an award.

GAS POWER ENERGY