A £150 million waste-to-energy facility in Aberdeen is expected to return to operation within the coming week following a near two-month shutdown.
The NESS Energy from Waste plant in East Tullos, which opened in April 2024, ceased operations in June amid what operator Indaver described as “ongoing issues”. Since then, non-recyclable waste from Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray has been diverted to landfill in Peterhead.
Aberdeen City Council has now confirmed that Indaver has reached an agreement with EFW Ness Ltd, which will assume responsibility for running the plant.
A council spokesperson said: “The councils have been informed that the two parties have reached an agreement that sees EFW Ness Limited running the facility moving forward, with a return to full operations shortly. Indications are that this may be within the coming week. Waste continues to be diverted to other disposal facilities in the meantime. Costs will be recovered from the contractor and residents of Torry won’t see their energy bills increase as a result of the temporary closure.”
The facility was built to process non-recyclable household waste and reduce reliance on landfill, while also generating heat to supply thousands of nearby homes.
The shutdown prompted delays to bin collections across the city, while questions were raised over transparency and communication between the council and the plant’s operators.
Aberdeen councillor Deena Tissera said: “It is encouraging that the energy from waste plant is close to reopening following the recent dispute. However, the fact remains that the council was blindsided by the announcement – a situation that raises serious concerns about communication and oversight. Serious lessons must be learned, and any losses incurred by the council must be reimbursed.”
The reopening comes ahead of a national landfill ban coming into force on 31 December, which will prohibit biodegradable municipal waste from being buried in Scotland. The policy, delayed from its original 2021 target, has led to concerns over insufficient incinerator capacity, with ministers admitting some waste may need to be exported to England as a short-term measure.
