Uniper and the town of Petershagen jointly sound out the potential of the power plant site in Lahde
Unit 4 of the Heyden power plant was awarded closure in the first tender by the German Federal Network Agency for the decommissioning of hard coal-fired power plants. Since the beginning of the year, the unit has been used as a reserve power plant and is therefore important for system stability for the time being. To ensure security of supply, the power plant is to be converted to a rotating phase shifter from October 2022 so that reactive power can be provided to stabilize the German transmission grid. This will no longer require coal firing at this site in the future. Uniper has already ended commercial power generation at the Heyden power plant at the end of 2020.
Since the conversion of the power plant unit became known, Uniper and the town of Petershagen have been in close exchange about how the approx. 63-hectare site can be used further in the future. With its rail siding, its own harbor, its location on the B482 highway, and its open spaces, the site offers diverse potential that Uniper would like to use for future sustainable projects. Initial ideas, also from interested investors, which go beyond use as a pure power plant site, have already been discussed. However, the current development plan only permits the restricted use of this industrial area exclusively for power plant facilities. In order to be able to implement projects for further use of the site at a later date, the development plan must be adapted as part of a planning procedure.
In order to prepare for this, the Arcadis Germany GmbH was engaged to prepare a study to examine the development potential of the industrial area for future use. As a first step, Arcadis analyzes the site and the market environment, looking at various development options and industries with an open mind. For example, the possibilities under planning law are evaluated and interviews are conducted with regional representatives such as the Chamber of Industry and Commerce, associations and the district. In a second step, "visions" for the site are being developed on the basis of these findings.
These results will then be presented to politicians, interested citizens, associations and public interest groups in the town of Petershagen and the surrounding area, and discussed with them in a constructive dialog. The realignment is intended to offer added value not only to Uniper but also to the region. Shaping the energy transition together - and creating new potential with a view to value creation and employment - that is our ambition. The final result will then be incorporated into the adjustment of the development plan.
About Uniper
Uniper is an international energy company with around 12,000 employees in more than 40 countries. The company plans to make its power generation CO2-neutral in Europe by 2035. With about 35 GW of installed generation capacity, Uniper is among the largest global power generators. Its main activities include power generation in Europe and Russia as well as global energy trading, including a diversified gas portfolio that makes Uniper one of Europe’s leading gas companies. In 2020, Uniper had a gas turnover of more than 220 bcm. Uniper is also a reliable partner for municipalities, public utilities, and industrial companies for developing and implementing innovative, CO2-reducing solutions on their way to decarbonizing their activities. As a pioneer in the field of hydrogen, Uniper is active worldwide along the entire value chain and is implementing projects to make hydrogen usable as a mainstay of energy supply.
The company is headquartered in Düsseldorf and currently the third-largest listed German utility. Together with its main shareholder Fortum, Uniper is also the third-largest producer of CO2-free energy in Europe.
This press release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Uniper SE Management and other information currently available to Uniper. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. Uniper SE does not intend, and does not assume any liability whatsoever, to update these forward-looking statements or to modify them to conform with future events or developments.
