Imagine a giant exhaling its last breath. That is what comes to my mind when I think about the Kohlekraftwerk Moorburg.
The Kohlekraftwerk Moorburg once stood as a towering symbol. It represented Hamburg’s energy needs. Now it is a monument to changing times.
Construction started in 2007. It was built on the site of a former gas plant. The Kohlekraftwerk Moorburg was designed as a double-block facility. Each block had a capacity of approximately 800 MW.
The project cost around 3 billion Euros. It was expected to generate 11.5 TWh of electricity per year. This output would require burning a lot of coal. It would release 8.7 million tons of CO2.
The Kohlekraftwerk Moorburg finally began operating in 2015. However, its economic viability was soon challenged. Modern coal plants struggled in the electricity market.
In 2020, the Federal Network Agency made an announcement. Vattenfall, the operator, received a contract. The contract was to reduce the power generation from the Kohlekraftwerk Moorburg. It also included smaller brown coal plants.
The Kohlekraftwerk Moorburg transitioned to a grid reserve in December 2020. By July 2021, it was shut down. The plant’s operational life was short.
The Kohlekraftwerk Moorburg consisted of two blocks A and B. Both started operating in 2015. Each had an electrical capacity of 800 MW. They were connected to the grid reserve in December 2020. A ban on selling electricity from these blocks started January 1, 2021.
The Kohlekraftwerk Moorburg’s utilization rate was high. From 2016 to 2019, both blocks were more active than the German average. Still, the expected 7500 full-load hours per year were too optimistic.
Between 2015 and 2020, the Kohlekraftwerk Moorburg generated 34.288 TWh of electricity. Block A produced 16.258 TWh. Block B generated 18.029 TWh.
Vattenfall announced plans to build the plant in 2004. In 2005, the Senate encouraged Vattenfall to double its size. They wanted it to operate as a district heating plant.
Copper producer Aurubis became involved in 2007. They agreed to purchase one billion kilowatt-hours of electricity per year. The purchase would last until 2040. The price was based on the power plant’s production costs.
Construction started in October 2007. The plant used about 12000 tons of hard coal per day at full load. Originally, it was planned to supply 650 MW of district heating. It would replace the Wedel heating plant. However, the required pipeline under the Elbe was not approved. Citizen initiatives and environmental groups opposed it. Without the pipeline, the power plant’s energy efficiency was lower. Investments in heating facilities were wasted.
The first block was supposed to open in 2012. The second was planned for 2013. Quality issues with welds delayed the opening. About 10 percent of the boiler steel had to be replaced. Hairline cracks had formed at the welds.
The burners were tested in June 2013. A dark, stinking cloud covered Moorburg. Residents complained of headaches and nausea. Vattenfall claimed wind calculations were incorrect. They insisted all legal limits were met. They said there was no danger to the public.
Brunsbüttel Ports took over operation of the supply facilities in September 2013. They expected to handle over 4 million tons of coal per year. The coal arrived by ship via the Elbe. Waste products were also removed by Brunsbüttel Ports.
Block B connected to the grid in February 2014. It fully started operating on February 28, 2015. Block A began operations on August 31, 2015.
Olaf Scholz officially inaugurated the Kohlekraftwerk Moorburg in November 2015. He was the First Mayor of Hamburg at the time.
Vattenfall filed a lawsuit for damages. They claimed environmental regulations increased costs. The lawsuit was filed with the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes. Vattenfall sought 1.4 billion Euros in damages. The case ended in a settlement.
In 2010, the BUND filed a complaint with the EU Commission. In March 2015, the EU Commission started proceedings against Germany. They claimed the power plant’s water permit violated the Habitat Directive. The EU Court of Justice ruled the permit was flawed in April 2017.
In March 2023, Vattenfall sold the Kohlekraftwerk Moorburg GmbH to Hamburger Energiewerke.
The chimney was demolished on November 10, 2024.
From 2027, the Moorburg site is planned to produce green hydrogen. An electrolysis plant powered by wind and solar energy is planned. It will have a capacity of at least 100 megawatts.
The Kohlekraftwerk Moorburg is a reminder of Hamburg’s industrial past. It highlights the challenges of transitioning to sustainable energy.