Uniper power plant Heyden 4 to end commercial operation at the end of 2020
- The German Federal Network Agency has accepted the bid from the power plant as part of the first round of auctions for the closure of hard-coal-fired power plants
- Commercial electricity production already ends on 1 January 2021
- Reconciliation of interests with employees in preparation
- Uniper CEO Andreas Schierenbeck: "We want to make our contribution to phasing out coal-fired power generation as soon as possible."
Uniper is working actively to transform the company and complete the decarbonization of its portfolio. As a result, the Heyden 4 hard-coal-fired power plant (875 megawatts) will cease commercial electricity production by January 1, 2021 and will close permanently on July 1, 2021, provided that the transmission system operator does not deem it relevant to the system. This is provided for in the schedule set out by German Federal Network Agency for the power plants that have been successful in the first round of auctions. These auctions were held in accordance with the German Law on the Reduction and Termination of Coal-Fired Power Generation of August 13, 2020. The German Federal Network Agency announced today that a bid submitted by the plant at Petershagen had been successful.
In January of this year, Uniper presented a plan for closing its hard-coal-fired power plants in Germany. This plan aims to save up to 18 million tons of CO2 per year. It also sets out Uniper's intention to close the hard-coal-fired power plant blocks at the Gelsenkirchen Scholven, Heyden, Staudinger and Wilhelmshaven sites by the end of 2025 at the latest. These power plants have a combined total output of around 2900 megawatts.
Uniper's last coal-fired power plant in Germany will be the Datteln 4 power plant. It is one of the most modern power plants of its kind worldwide and part of Uniper's strategy to reduce the company's CO2 emissions. Uniper is aiming to reduce its CO2 emissions in Germany by up to 40 percent over the next five years through the planned voluntary closure of old and inefficient plants and by commissioning the Datteln 4 power plant, while at the same time maintaining the security of supply for the customers and municipalities it serves.
Uniper is developing forward-looking and sustainable transformation concepts for the energy supply of tomorrow that will be implemented at the power plant locations affected by the closures. This includes plans for the construction and operation of new gas-fired CHP plants with district heating, innovative solutions for supplying industrial customers with steam, heating, cooling and electricity, and the construction of plants for the industrial production of hydrogen.
The German Federal Network Agency will be accepting bids for the closure of further coal plants on fixed dates in the coming years. Participants in the auction offer to close a power plant at the time set out in their bid, in return for a payment of the bid value submitted by the participant. A capacity of four gigawatts was tendered in the first auction, which began on September 1.
Andreas Schierenbeck, CEO of Uniper: "The first auction by the German Federal Network Agency provided a very early exit opportunity for the Heyden power plant, an opportunity that we have made the most of. Our decision to enter into the first auction shows very clearly that we want to make our contribution to phasing out coal-fired power generation as soon as possible. The sooner we have planning certainty for the future, the more consistently we can approach our new projects, for example our projects in the hydrogen sector."
David Bryson, COO of Uniper: "The Heyden site has the potential to remain an important industrial site, even after coal-fired power generation is completely phased out. We have been in discussions for some time about possible energy options for the future and about how we can continue to add value to this region. We will look closely at the specific projects that could result from this and when they can be implemented."
Andreas Schierenbeck remarked: "Our employees at the Heyden site do outstanding work every day to safely supply electricity and heat to the people who need it. But it must be noted: Phasing out coal is a political goal and will cost jobs. Our company and collective agreements provide a good basis for preventing social hardship. We are currently holding constructive discussions on reconciling interests with the co-determination representatives. We want to make clear that we will support every single employee affected by the closure."
About Uniper
Uniper is a leading international energy company with around 11,500 employees and activities in more than 40 countries. With about 34 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 2019, Uniper had a gas turnover of 220 bcm. The company is headquartered in Düsseldorf, being the third-largest listed German utility. Under its new strategy, Uniper aims to become carbon-neutral in Europe by 2035.
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