Critics oppose the go-ahead of Datteln 4, arguing the start-up of a new coal-fired power station contradicts Germany’s agreed plans to phase out all coal power plants by 2038.
The test runs take at a time when most hard coal and lignite-fired power plants in Germany are not running, as lockdowns to contain the coronavirus have slashed Germany’s electricity demand while output from wind and solar power installations remained high.
Germany’s most flexible coal unit
The hard coal-fired Datteln 4 unit will be Germany’s most modern coal-fired power plant with an exceptional level of operational flexibility, allowing it ramp up or down quickly to balance renewables powers supply to that grid. That grid balancing role is traditionally fulfilled by combined-cycle gas-fired power plants.
With 1,100 MW installed electric capacity at 45% net efficiency plus 380 MW thermal power output, the plant’s overall efficiency reaches 60%. Uniper already sold 413 MW of the electric power output to the German rail operator DB.
Uniper CEO Andreas Schierenbeck indicated Datteln 4 is expected to generate an annual operating profit of at least 100 million Euros.
Uniper offers to shut old coal plants
Düsseldorf-based Uniper operates coal plants with a capacity of 3,800 megawatt (MW) at five locations across Germany. The Datteln 4 coal project had been highly controversial throughout its construction period.
“We will take older coal-fired power plants off the grid in in return for Datteln 4. Our goal is that our overall carbon emissions output will be significantly lower as a result,” the Uniper CEO said.
Works on Datteln 4 started back in 2007 and the unit was initially meant go online in 2011. However, the project was delayed several times and ended up costing 1.5 billion Euros. The German government finally approved the plant's commissioning in October 2019, despite public protests. Now, Uniper is striving to bring the plant in full operation before the summer.
Finland’s Fortum owns a 49.99% stake in Uniper and both utilities are committed to convert most of their coal-fired units to gas where possible in an effort to reduce emissions.