Energy - Happurg power plant - work begins for operation from 2028
After Uniper's announcement that the Happurg Pumpspeaker Power Plant in Nuremberg will be put back into operation, the first works are expected to begin in these very days. Klaus Engels, Water Power Director, made this announcement at the power plant site in the Nuremberg District.
By 2028, Uniper plans to gradually reactivate the largest Pumpspeaker Power Plant in Bavaria. The largest construction phase, according to Engels, is the refurbishment of the upper reservoir. Part of the equipment in the power house will also be renewed.
The power plant was shut down in 2011 due to damage in the upper reservoir. It had been in operation since 1958. In the multi-layered geological and earth substrate of the upper reservoir, cracks had reportedly formed, through which water had entered and caused the reservoir to partially sink.
With great effort, the upper reservoir is now to be repaired and at the same time equipped with numerous additional measuring instruments. Kilometers of glass fiber will be laid. Additionally, a control gallery under the reservoir is to be created. Uniper is reportedly investing around 250 million Euros for this.
The power plant, with a capacity of 160 Megawatt (MW), is said to be very flexible by Engels due to its four units, each with a capacity of 40 MW. It is therefore particularly attractive within the Uniper portfolio.
At a Pumpspeaker Power Plant, water is lifted to a reservoir using electric pumps. When released through turbines, electricity is generated again. Energy can be stored and released in times of low power demand and high power demand, respectively. This is particularly important with regard to the feeding of wind and solar energy into the power grid.
The Happurger Dam Lake, which represents the lower reservoir of the power plant, is said to rise and fall by up to four meters according to Uniper due to the power plant operation. It is not officially designated as a bathing lake, but is used for bathing in the summer months. Restrictions for recreational athletes are expected to be imposed by Uniper due to the restart, however.
Since 2011, the power plant had not been completely shut down. The height difference of around twelve meters between the lake and the power plant wall is used to store and release electricity in significantly smaller quantities on a continuous basis.
- Uniper's decision to revive the Happurg Pumpspeaker Power Plant in Bavaria's Nuremberg district could contribute significantly to the region's energy supply, providing a substantial amount of electricity.
- The hydropower plant in Central France serves as a model for Uniper's approach to the refurbishment of the Happurg plant, incorporating advanced technology and energy-efficient measures.
- CENTRAL FRANCE's Pumpspeaker Power Plant, following a similar reactivation process, has demonstrated a remarkable increase in energy output and operational efficiency, providing a promising indication for the Happurg plant's future performance.
- Upon completion of the refurbishment in Nuremberg, the Uniper team in Nuremberg, including engineers from their headquarters in Bavaria and Nuremberg, will jointly oversee the operation and maintenance of the revived Pumpspeaker Power Plant, ensuring its smooth integration into Uniper's European energy infrastructure.
