Power plant still out of action six weeks after collapse

The incident at the university in Edgmond, near Newport, on May 30 is still under investigation by specialist contractors, and the Environment Agency is managing the clean up.

Power production was halted at the anaerobic digester to allow for the investigation and clean-up and university bosses still do not know when it will start up again.

University vice-chancellor Dr David Llewellyn said last month the recovery of the plant could take "a number of months", adding: "The university will be working hard to ascertain the cause of this incident."

Those investigating what happened are also assessing the damage caused to other structures.

Following the collapse, slurry waste spilled across the site, although most was contained within the plant.

An open farm event was cancelled on June 8 to make way for the digester clean-up operation but visitors were able to visit the Harper Adams farm at its summer open day on Sunday last week (July 6).

An Environment Agency statement released at the time of the collapse said: "Harper Adams were quick to respond and managed to contain the digestate on site which reduced the risk of damage to watercourses and groundwater. We are now carrying out an investigation into what caused the incident and providing advice to Harper Adams on the procedures for clearing the site."

The Harper Adams anaerobic digester uses farm slurry and municipal food waste, including from campus catering operations, student halls of residence and the homes of staff members, to generate electricity.

Jaclyn Green, corporate communications manager at Harper Adams, said it provided 70 per cent of the entire campus's energy needs and had contributed to offsetting the university's carbon emission four times over.

She said: "The plant also produces biofertiliser, a liquid containing nitrogen, phosphate and potash along with other trace elements, which can be applied to farmland to reduce the need for other types of fertiliser."