Powerplants in the Netherlands

Our technologically advanced power stations in Rotterdam, The Hague and Leiden provide district heating to residents and ensures a reliable supply of energy in the built environment. At the Maasvlakte, we operate on an industrial scale and provide flexible services to help industrial customers with their energy transition.

While three of our plants are powered by natural gas, our plant at Maasvlakte is coal-fired and therefore due to close by 2030. In the future, we want to transform the Maasvlakte site into a large-scale production site of green hydrogen that would help contribute to the Dutch hydrogen targets.

To help the phase-in of clean energy, we also aim to supply a range of innovative energy products to our partners and customers throughout the Zuid-Holland region. This includes providing steam to industrial facilities located near our power plants and using biomass with sustainability proof (such as SBP, GGL, FSC and PEFC) and industrial by-products (such as biopropane) to generate power and heat.

Uniper City Power Plants     

The natural gas-fired power stations in Rotterdam, The Hague and Leiden produce both electricity and heat.  By means of STEG technology (Steam and Gas Turbine), also known as CHP, natural gas is converted into electricity. Heat is released during this process. This 'tapping heat' or residual heat is then supplied to the heat network. Households that are connected to this heat network receive the heat needed for tap water and heating (in other words, the shower, kitchen tap and central heating in your home). The electricity is supplied to the electricity market and fed into the 150 KV stations of the regional electricity grids.     

Although natural gas is a relatively clean energy source and the CCGTs are extremely efficient, a transition to other energy sources will take place in the coming years. By phasing out natural gas, among other things, the Dutch government aims to realise the climate objectives. Uniper wholeheartedly supports the realisation of the climate objectives and aims to produce energy that is virtually CO2 neutral by 2035.   

For our city power stations, this means that we will continue to produce energy but will increasingly use other sources to do so. We see green gas and, in time, sustainable hydrogen, as promising applications. Aquathermal energy, the use of energy from surface water, is another application that Uniper considers reliable for a sustainable energy supply. In addition, we are working with partners to add geothermal energy (heat from deep underground, geothermal energy) and residual heat (heat remaining after electricity production and/or industrial processes) to local heat networks.   

For an up-to-date picture of the development of our district heating plants towards a CO2 neutral 2035, take a look at our press releases and animations. (link to press/ media)  

Our power plants in the Netherlands