Understand
Seaham coal mine water heating network goes live for local homes
Overview
A new ultra-low carbon district heat network utilising warm water from flooded coal mines has gone live in Seaham, initially supplying heat to about 50 properties in the Seaham Garden Village development. The project is a collaboration between Durham County Council, the Mining Remediation Authority, Karbon Homes, and Vital Energi, and is expected to eventually supply 750 homes over the next decade.
Key points
- The Seaham mine water heating system has gone live, supplying around 50 properties initially.
- The scheme will eventually expand to supply 750 homes within a 1,500-home development over the next 10 years.
- Minewater temperatures naturally remain between 10C and 20C year-round due to underground geothermal processes.
- The project uses heat from the Dawdon minewater treatment works that would otherwise dissipate into the atmosphere.
- The network is a collaborative project involving Durham County Council, the Mining Remediation Authority, Karbon Homes, and Vital Energi.
