Thames Water aims to reactivate Beckton desalination plant later this year

Thames Water announced that its Beckton desalination plant will be prepared for operation by the end of the year, with the aim of supporting reservoir recovery over the winter for the following summer. The east London facility, the UK's only desalination plant, has run merely five times since its 2011 opening, delivering roughly 7.2 bn litres of drinking water—about a week's supply for London. Originally funded with £270 m and now valued at £500 m, the plant has been criticized as a costly under-utilised asset.

Decision-makers will weigh weather conditions, water demand and reservoir levels before activating the plant, as the company grapples with high electricity costs and broader financial pressures. Prime Minister Andy Burnham and MPs have highlighted the plant's limited contribution during recent heatwaves, and the utility's chief executive Chris Weston has described the facility as a significant problem. Potentially lower electricity prices in cooler periods could improve its economic viability.