Past Event

Kevin McCullough

24 February 2020

Kevin is Chief Executive of Calon Energy which has its Head Office near Newport.

Calon Energy owns three gas fired power plants (CCGTs) and has a further site ready for development.  Two of its power plants are in South Wales – Severn near Newport and Baglan Bay in Port Talbot – the third plant is at Sutton Bridge in Lincolnshire and the development site is in Derbyshire.

With over 30 years of generation experience in nuclear, gas, coal, hydro and renewables, Kevin joined the Macquarie backed Calon Energy in late 2014, having been COO at RWE npower, COO at RWE Innogy and Chairman of Horizon Nuclear Power.

Kevin’s career in power generation started straight from school when he joined Ferrybridge B Power Station as an Auxiliary Plant Attendant which started a love for the sector which has remained with him. Progressing through various operational roles, Kevin made his break into managerial positions at Little Barford power station where he was Production Manager before becoming Plant Manager for the new build Texas based Midlothian Power Plant south of Dallas. He opened a business development office in Chicago before returning to the UK, where significant highlights include becoming MD of npower renewables Ltd before joining the RWE Innogy board as COO based in Essen Germany. Before eventually leaving the RWE Group at the end of 2012, he returned to npower where he held the position of Chief Operating Officer on the main UK board. Additionally he served as Chairman of Horizon Nuclear Power, the nuclear new build JV company formed between EON and RWE.

On leaving RWE he became CEO of UK Coal, with responsibility for overseeing the company through an insolvency following a colliery fire and preparing the remaining UK deep mines for closure over an extended period having secured government financial assistance to do so.

He has worked closely with the Welsh Government and chaired its Energy & Environment Sector panel which assists a wide range of energy schemes.

When COO at RWE npower, the largest energy investor in Wales, Kevin was responsible for Aberthaw power station, the construction of Pembroke gas fired power station, numerous onshore wind farms, hydro plants including plants such as Dolgarrog and the UKs first offshore wind farm at North Hoyle.  As a result of this investment, ports such as Mostyn were developed to serve Rhyl Flats and Gymt y Mor offshore wind farms.

In his spare time Kevin plays golf, enjoys ballroom dancing, travels widely and is a season ticket holder at Liverpool FC.  As well as this, he has been known to sing Elvis songs under certain conditions.