Caithness Heat and Power Appoints New Chairman

The new Board of Caithness Heat and Power Ltd - the innovative wood-fired combined heat and power enterprise at Wick -  has appointed Highland Councillor David Henderson as its new Chairman.

Councillor Henderson is one of six Highland councillors now serving on the board of directors, which is supported by senior officers of the Council.

The decision to assume control of the company was taken at a meeting of the Council on 1 August and the board held its second meeting in Wick recently following a visit to the CHaP plant at Pulteneytown, 

Councillor Henderson said: “The Council has been a major funder of the company since it was set up in December 2004 and has taken over the running of the company in an attempt to ensure a sustainable future for the operation.  There are many challenges ahead but we have a good team in place, who are prepared to work hard to bring this enterprise on stream. The potential long term benefits are considerable.”

Councillor Henderson was for many years Head of Industrial Development at Highlands and Islands Enterprise, and previously lectured in business and development economics at Heriot-Watt University. He is now a self employed consultant in the fields of business and regional development.

Councillor Henderson is joined on the board by the following councillors: -
Katrina MacNab, Wick
John Laing, Chairman of TEC Services
Ian Ross, Chairman of Planning. Environment and Development
Jimmy Gray, Chairman of the Inverness City Committee
Jean Urquhart, Chairman of Audit and Standards

Councillor MacNab added:  “The Council strongly supports sustainable approaches to energy production in the Highlands, particularly in areas vulnerable to fuel poverty, and all the directors are determined to see CHaP succeed. We have a strong team of support staff in place to help take this exciting project forward.”

The Council has invested £1.6 million directly to date. It has also provided a maximum guarantee of £3 million in respect of the lease finance facilities provided by the bank to ChaP. The guarantee is for a period of 10 years.  The Council has also agreed an overdraft facility made available to CHaP by the bank up to a maximum of £1.9 million with £1.55 million released to date.

At its meeting on 1 August, it also agreed to release operational and development funding towards the project.

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