NHS power group puts Bevans in charge

Bristol-based law firm Bevan Ashford is to co-manage a unique project under which a consortium of NHS Trusts aims to sell surplus electricity to the National Grid.

A total of 11 trusts have already signed up to a feasibility study which is due to recommend this week which of the trusts should go ahead with the full project.

The energy partner behind the project is Gareth Dodds, who joined Bevan Ashford a year ago from a regional electricity company where he was commercial manager.

Dodds explained: "Because hospital generators are not normally at maximum use during periods of national peak demand, surplus electricity can be sold to electricity suppliers and spare generating capacity to the National Grid."

But he added: "Not all NHS Trusts will want to take part. Some might be too small and some might not have the right generators."

Dodds suggested large companies with their own generators may be interested in a similar project - clubbing together to provide the minimum of 3MW of power that the grid would be prepared to buy.

The project will be jointly managed by Bevans and WS Atkins Consulting Engineers.