Perhaps, you’ve never spared a thought for the unsung heroes of our power grid. I am talking about places like the Gasturbinenkraftwerk Ahrensfelde. Right here in Ahrensfelde near Berlin, this power plant stands as a testament to our need for reliable energy.
The Gasturbinenkraftwerk Ahrensfelde is not your everyday power source. It is a reserve power plant. Since October 1, 2020, it has been held in the capacity reserve. This means it stands ready to kick into action should the power supply become unstable.
Think of it as a superhero waiting for its call. The Lausitz Energie Kraftwerke AG owns the Gasturbinenkraftwerk Ahrensfelde. They acquired it when they bought the brown coal division from Vattenfall.
Let’s talk tech. The Gasturbinenkraftwerk Ahrensfelde houses four gas turbines. These turbines roared to life back in 1990. Each turbine can generate 38,340 kilowatts at base load. During peak load, they can hit 41,390 kilowatts. Impressive figures indeed.
These turbines are Alstom PG6541B models. They boast a net efficiency of 31 percent. What’s truly remarkable is their quick-start ability. They can reach full speed and sync with the grid in just seven minutes.
In October 2004, the plant’s control technology got a major upgrade. Before the upgrade, the turbines used General Electric’s Speedtronic-Mark-IV systems. The upgrade switched to Siemens’ S7-400H technology. This new system allowed central monitoring of both this plant and the Gasturbinenkraftwerk Thyrow.
Adding to its capabilities, in 2010, a subterranean pipe storage facility for natural gas was added. This 2.7 km long storage system can hold around 360,000 cubic meters of natural gas. This allows the Gasturbinenkraftwerk Ahrensfelde to operate independently of the natural gas network for about six hours.
Interestingly, the plant was not always running at full tilt. In 2010, it operated for about 600 hours. Usage declined in later years. By 2016, it was barely used. However, in preparation for its role in the capacity reserve, successful test runs were conducted in June and July 2020.
Since October 2020, the Gasturbinenkraftwerk Ahrensfelde has been part of the capacity reserve. Its four turbines provide a total of 120 megawatts to the grid.
The Gasturbinenkraftwerk Ahrensfelde connects to the 110-kV high-voltage level. This connection is made via the Berlin-Malchow substation. The transmission network operator 50Hertz Transmission manages this connection.
So, as we stand here, remember the Gasturbinenkraftwerk Ahrensfelde. It is a silent guardian, ready to spring into action. It ensures our lights stay on when we need them most.