LEAG (Lausitz Energie Bergbau AG) is preparing for the construction of an H2-ready gas-fired power plant in the Schwarze Pumpe industrial park. The power plant with a planned capacity of 870 MW is to be built by 2025. The company wants to enable the "transformation of the power plant fleet while maintaining security of supply".
According to Leag, the existing technical and infrastructural conditions offer optimal starting conditions for the construction of the H₂-ready gas-fired power plant in the Schwarze Pumpe industrial park. The site is connected to the gas grid and the 380 kilovolt extra-high voltage grid and is included in the German hydrogen core network.
The energy supplier began preparatory construction work on the potential construction site in February of this year. The work primarily involved the dismantling of the existing East and West coking plants.
In addition, a small amount of cable and pipeline material will be removed from the site. The Group intends to complete the work by the summer.
"Optimal conditions" for H2-ready gas-fired power plant
Leag already submitted the application for approval in accordance with the Federal Immission Control Act last year. An initial partial permit could be issued this year, according to a press release. At the same time, the company has begun searching for potential industrial partners for the construction with a market inquiry. Project manager Fehlert emphasizes that the Group is thus making advance preparations for planning and approval procedures.
The prerequisite for the construction of an H2-ready gas and steam turbine power plant from 2025 onwards is approval as well as political decisions on the future power plant tender design.
The German government laid the groundwork for this in its power plant strategy in February of this year. According to this strategy, the tendering process for the construction of a total of ten gigawatts of power plant capacity in four tranches is scheduled to begin this year. However, concrete tendering criteria and an agreement with the EU Commission are still lacking. Only on this basis can an investment decision be made. Leag estimates the planning and construction time to be around six years. This means that the plant could be connected to the grid before 2030.
