How about a story about a place that has powered Karlsruhe for decades? I am talking about the Rheinhafen Steam Power Plant. It stands here as a testament to the city’s industrial might.
The Rheinhafen Steam Power Plant is not just one facility. It is a complex of power plants. The EnBW Kraftwerke AG operates it. Until 1997, it was Badenwerk AG. The complex consists of two main types. There is a coal-fired power plant and a gas and steam power plant. The coal-fired plant churns out 1351 MW of power. The gas and steam plant adds another 365 MW.
The plant’s location is key to its function. It sits right on the Rhine River. It is near the entrance to the Rheinhafen Karlsruhe. This proximity gives the plant its name. The Rhine provides the cooling water needed for operations. The river also allows for easy delivery of coal by inland ships.
Eight blocks make up the Rheinhafen Steam Power Plant complex. Only two are currently active. Blocks 1 through 6 were built in the 1950s and 1960s. Each produced 100 to 180 MW of power. Blocks 1 to 3 are now out of service. They have been partially converted into a visitor center.
Block 4 underwent a transformation in the mid-1990s. The old boiler system was replaced. A high-performance Alstom GT26 gas turbine was installed. The steam turbine was refurbished and reused. Block 4 is designed to generate peak load power. It is in cold reserve since April 4, 2017. TransnetBW activates it only when grid stability is at risk. Blocks 5 and 6 are also in cold reserve. Each has a gas-fired steam boiler. They share a 200-meter-high reinforced concrete chimney.
Block 7 came online between 1981 and 1985. It generates 517 MW of power. It was designed as a medium-load power plant. A new 233-meter-high chimney was built for it. This block was equipped with systems for flue gas desulfurization and denitrification.
The Rheinhafen Steam Power Plant uses combined heat and power. It supplies district heating to the Stadtwerke Karlsruhe network. It can provide a maximum heat output of 220 MW. This boosts the plant’s efficiency from 46% to 58%.
Block 8 is the newest addition. Construction lasted from 2008 to 2014. It is a coal-fired block with an electrical output of 834 MW. Block 8 is similar in design to Block 9 of the Mannheim power plant. This reduced construction costs. Full load was reached during trial operation on December 12, 2013.
The plant’s cooling system is vital. It requires about 25 cubic meters of water per second. The plant even has a small hydroelectric plant. This recovers some of the energy used to pump cooling water. The turbine can generate up to 1.8 MW. A cooling tower was built to maintain operations. It is used when the Rhine’s water temperature is too high.
The Rheinhafen Steam Power Plant obtains its coal by ship from Rotterdam. About 1000 ships arrive each year. Rail transport is also being expanded. This ensures a reliable supply.
In February 2019, climate activists from Ende Gelände entered Block 8. They protested for an earlier exit from coal. Since 2019, Fridays for Future has called for Block 7 to be shut down.
The Rheinhafen Steam Power Plant uses a plant-specific simulator. It helps to check data and ensure emission limits. Rheinmetall Defence Electronics created a real-time model of the plant. Siemens provides the main control technology. This simulator helps to identify problems early.
On the roof is an antenna mast. It broadcasts Klassik Radio on 90.4 MHz. It transmits with an ERP of 32 watts.
The Rheinhafen Steam Power Plant continues to evolve. It adapts to new technologies. It faces environmental concerns. It remains a key part of Karlsruhe’s energy infrastructure.