Voerde - 165-meter-high cooling tower of a coal-fired power plant blown up
The 165-metre-high cooling tower of the coal-fired power plant in Voerde on the Lower Rhine, which was shut down in 2017, was blown up on Sunday. The huge concrete structure collapsed as planned shortly after 11 a.m. without any problems.
Some residential buildings in the vicinity of the blast had to be temporarily evacuated during the blast, and roads in the area were also closed between 9 am and 1 pm, according to the town of Voerde.
The blasting is part of the dismantling work on the former power plant, which began in July and is scheduled to last until 2026, according to the energy company RWE as the owner and the town of Voerde.
Power plant with cooling tower was Voerde's landmark
RWE is looking into producing "green" hydrogen with a total capacity of 800 megawatts on an industrial scale at the 60-hectare site. Depending on the economic conditions, the construction of a suitable hydrogen-capable gas-fired power plant at the site is also conceivable.
The city is hoping for a "significant leap forward as a business location", said Voerd mayor Dirk Haarmann (SPD). If the plans come to fruition, Voerde will become an important hydrogen center for the region. Together, 120 to 140 new jobs could be created for hydrogen production and the power plant. Haarmann emphasized that the new plant would be CO2-neutral. He also hopes that other commercial and plant engineering companies will settle there.
The power plant, which was built in the early 1970s and later significantly expanded, is located directly on the Rhine. With four units, it generated more than 2000 megawatts of electricity at its peak for many years, but was controversial due to its high CO2 emissions. With its large cooling tower and chimneys over 200 meters high, the power plant, which can be seen for many kilometers, was a well-known landmark of the city for a long time.
RWE announcement 7.7.2023 Blasting announcement
Read also:
- Despite the demolition of the cooling tower, the former coal-fired power plant in Voerde, once a prominent landmark in Germany's Lower Rhine region, still holds potential for RWE to establish a CO2-neutral hydrogen production center.
- On Sunday, the 165-meter-high cooling tower, a remnant of the coal-fired power plant in Voerde, was successfully blown up as part of the dismantling work, which began in 2017.
- Following the demolition, Voerde, an energy-focused city in Germany, is hoping for a significant boost as a business location, with RWE's ambition to build a green hydrogen plant capable of producing 800 megawatts on the 60-hectare site.
- The decision by RWE and the city of Voerde to transform the site, which was known for its high CO2 emissions and large cooling tower, is aligned with Germany's efforts to move towards green energy sources.
- In response to public interest, RWE announced their plans for the site, including the potential construction of a hydrogen-capable gas-fired power plant, on July 7, 2023.
Source: www.stern.de
