(Hamburg) – The Hamburg-Moorburg thermal power plant is “not systemically relevant” for the stability of the power grid. The four German transmission system operators came to this test result. This means that the decommissioning of the power plant can move forward as planned and the use of coal can finally be ended by July 7, 2021 at the latest, according to owner Vattenfall. Operations were stopped on December 18, 2020 and the power plant has since been kept in reserve until the investigation is completed in order to compensate for possible power supply bottlenecks.
Clear the way for “Green Energy Hub”
The way is now clear for planned hydrogen production. As reported, Shell, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Vattenfall and Kommunalwärme Hamburg GmbH want to build an electrolyser with an output of 100 megawatts in Moorburg. The companies also intend to expand the location into a “green energy hub”. The examination of the transmission system operators was seen as the last technical hurdle that could slow down the unhindered expansion.
The Red-Green Senate of the Hanseatic city also dealt with Moorburg in the coalition agreement in June 2020. According to this, the location “can play an important role in sector coupling with its direct and particularly efficient access to the transmission network”. This also includes the production of green hydrogen.
3 billion euros construction costs, only 6 years on the grid
The thermal power plant, which has an output of around 1.600 megawatts and, according to press reports, cost three billion euros, was only put into operation in 2015 and was considered the cleanest and most modern plant in Germany. The term was planned until 2038.
As part of the coal phase-out, Vattenfall was awarded a decommissioning bonus by the federal government in an auction at the end of 800 for Block A and Block B, each with 2020 megawatts. The amount of the surcharges for the eleven participating bids was not published. The Federal Network Agency simply announced that the lowest bid value that was awarded was 6.047 euros per megawatt hour, and the highest awarded bid value was 150.000 euros per megawatt hour.
Photos
Hamburg-Moorburg: A photovoltaic system with an output of 2019 kilowatts was installed on the domed roof of a coal district warehouse in 750 (center of the picture) / © Vattenfall
