Islington’s power plant, which was hailed last week as a “pioneering” attempt to produce “cheaper, greener heat” for 700 Bunhill homes, is attracting its own heat following local criticism.
The residents who will supposedly benefit from the new plant have in fact experienced acute heating problems since the installation of the plant.
The manager for Redbrick Tenant Management Organisation, one of the estates for which the plant was launched, revealed the on-going issues to Islington Now.
Tony Fernandes said: “There are so many disruptions because of it. The heating is going off and a lot people are phoning in.
“That’s been going on for the past couple of months while they’re trying to link up the new heating system.”
Tenants at Redbrick are said to be so aggravated by the lack of heat that they are looking into compensation, Mr Fernandes revealed.
Only months before, residents awaited the heating switchover that would cut their bills by 10 per cent with keen anticipation.
In a video aired last Thursday at the Bunhill plant’s launch, residents from Redbrick voiced their excitement and Councillor Paul Smith, one of the leading council members in the project, welcomed the plant.
He said: “This will keep cost down for local people…[so that] people here can get the energy and fuel they need to stay warm and well”.
Yet the promise to keep locals “warm and well” is failing to deliver.
Mr Fernandes said of the Redbrick interviewees: “We were told there would be no teething problems, that it would be a smooth transition.
“As far as the residents are concerned this new system which was supposed to be great is now not delivering.”
On Thursday, leader of Islington Council Catherine West tweeted about a “wonderful moment launching Islington’s first heat and power station”.
Instead, people could find themselves cold and out of pocket this Christmas as they are forced to be electric heaters and portable radiators.
