Here stands the Kispesti Erőmű a testament to Budapest’s evolving energy needs. It might surprise you but the Kispesti Erőmű isn’t actually in Kispest. It’s located in Pestszentlőrinc in the XVIII district.
The Kispesti Erőmű began its journey in the post-World War II era. The growing demand for heating from the Kispesti Textile Factory and other industrial sites spurred its creation. The construction of new housing estates in South Pest further fueled the need for a new power plant. Work started in 1955. The area was once marshland. It was filled with earth and rubble from the metro construction sites.
Between 1957 and 1962 the “old power plant” was built. It operated until 2004. Coal arrived by train. It was transported to the boilers via conveyor belts. In 1978 the plant switched from coal to fuel oil. By 1981 it was using natural gas.
The construction of more housing estates led to significant capacity increases. Hot water boilers were built between 1978 and 1986. District heating services began. By the 1990s environmental and efficiency standards became stricter. The old equipment no longer met these standards. It had high sulfur dioxide emissions. A major renovation was needed.
In 2003 a new gas turbine was installed. It had greater power output. The old power plant’s 80-meter chimney was demolished in 2002. Production ceased in 2004. After connecting the district heating pipes the Kőbánya power plant also closed. The new combined cycle Kispesti Erőmű took its place.
Today the Kispesti Erőmű uses a combined cycle system. Heat from the gas turbine is used to generate steam. This steam drives another turbogenerator to produce more electricity. This achieves a high efficiency exceeding 50%. The Kispesti Erőmű also uses combined heat and power generation. It produces heat for district heating. This improves efficiency reliability and reduces environmental impact. The power plant uses Danube water. It requires 500000 cubic meters of water annually.
The Kispesti Erőmű has a 15-meter high oil tank. It holds 6000 cubic meters of low-sulfur heating oil. This ensures uninterrupted power and heat production during gas shortages. Such a shortage occurred once in January 2009. It was related to the Russian-Ukrainian gas dispute. It lasted for eight days.
The Kispesti Erőmű has a power generation capacity of 110 MW. Natural gas arrives via high-pressure pipeline. It comes from MOL NyRt.’s Kőbánya gas transfer station. The 70 MW PG 6101 FA gas turbine generates electricity. The 590 °C exhaust gas goes to a heat recovery steam generator. Steam at 500 °C and 90 bar drives a 40 MW steam turbine.
Transformers convert the 10 kV electricity to 120 kV. It is then fed into the national electricity distribution network. The Kispesti Erőmű has a heat generation capacity of 410 MW.
Heat not used for electricity generation is sent to the district heating system. The FŐTÁV Zrt. distributes it to surrounding housing estates. During the heating season pumps circulate 4000 cubic meters of water per hour. Outside the season it is 1400 cubic meters. The district heating pipes are kept at 11 bar overpressure. This prevents the 130 °C hot water from evaporating. Traditional hot water boilers also help during peak winter demand.
In summer the 74 MW wet cooling towers turn excess heat into steam. This steam is released into the air.
The Kispesti Erőmű is a modern efficient power plant. It supplies electricity and heat to Budapest. It has been in commercial operation since 2004. It meets strict environmental standards. Its overall efficiency exceeds 80%. The Kispesti Erőmű plays a vital role in Budapest’s energy infrastructure. It provides heat to 43000 homes and 620 other users.