power plant

RWE Generation is planning to close three power plants in Germany with a total capacity of 1,000MW, amid declining demand for conventional energy.

The company is considering closing the 110MW Goldenbergwerk lignite power plant in Hürth in the third quarter of 2015, and Unit C of the 285MW Westfalen hard coal power plant in Hamm in early 2016.

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The part of Unit K fuelled by hard coal in the 610MW Gersteinwerk plant will be shut down in the first quarter of 2017.

The shutting down of the power plants will affect 180 of the 640 jobs at the three stations.

RWE Generation CEO Peter Terium said: "Conventional power generation is losing ground – not just at RWE.

"Figures from the Federal Network Agency indicate that, up to 2018, more secured power station capacity will have to be taken offline than is added through capital investment.

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"Germany could create an economically feasible basis to continue to operate indispensable generation facilities."

"This does not bode well for security of supply, to which wind and solar can make little contribution.

"With a capacity market that is non-discriminatory and open to all technologies, Germany could create an economically feasible basis to continue to operate indispensable generation facilities – and thus supplement the expansion of renewable energy."

The company will terminate supply contracts for approximately 470MW by the end of this year.

RWE had earlier decommissioned Didcot A and Tilbury power stations in the UK and reduced operating hours of the gas-fired power plants in Continental Europe. This has reduced the company’s electricity generation in the first half by 11%.

Image: RWE Generation to close power plants in Germany. Photo: courtesy of John Kasawa / Freedigitalphotos.net.

Energy