Successful Boiler Pressure Test at Walsum 10

• Milestone in power plant construction
• Celebration attended by NRW Economics Minister Christa Thoben
• Highly efficient plant with 45% + efficiency

A major milestone has been reached: the new "Walsum 10" coal power plant has successfully concluded its boiler pressure test. After two and a half years of construction, the purchasers - Evonik Industries AG, the industrial concern from Essen, and EVN AG, energy supplier from Lower Austria - together with energy plant constructor Hitachi Power Europe GmbH (HPE) celebrated the ceremony in Duisburg-Walsum. Over 300 guests including Christa Thoben, Economics Minister for North-Rhine Westphalia (NRW), participated in the official ceremony.

"Renewal of the coal power fleet can provide the most important country-specific contribution to climate protection. There is no alternative to highly efficient, ultra-modern coal power plants such as Walsum" said Economics Minister Christa Thoben. She went on to say that the NRW state government was backing this power plant technology since it was to contribute in large measure to a reduction of CO2 emissions in North-Rhine Westphalia by 2020. 

"Coal will continue to remain indispensable to secure an assured and economical supply of electricity. Moreover, highly efficient and resource-conserving plants such as Walsum 10 will enable us to uphold our responsibility in climate protection matters,” according to Dr. Klaus Engel, Chairman of the Executive Board of Evonik Industries AG. He added that in view of the higher degree of efficiency the new unit required less fuel for the same output compared with today's power plants. Dr. Engel stressed that this not only conserved valuable resources but, at the same time, reduced CO2 emissions in electricity generation.

"Everywhere in Europe the need is for efficient, safe power plants with the highest environmental standards", states Dr. Burkhard Hofer, Chief Executive of EVN AG. "This project is therefore an important step in getting well equipped to face the future challenges on the European power market."

Walsum 10 represents an important reference plant for plant constructor Hitachi Power Europe says Klaus-Dieter Rennert, Chairman of the HPE Board of Directors: "The new structure confirms that Hitachi Power Europe not only has technologically high-grade and competitive products but, at the same time, is an experienced specialist for all-in solutions in the power plant field."

Following its completion, the coal power plant with a 45%+ efficiency will be one of the most modern of its kind in the world. Approx. EUR 820 million is being invested by Evonik Industries AG and EVN AG in the new plant. The coal unit is being installed in a turnkey manner by Hitachi Power Europe in Duisburg-Walsum at an existing Evonik power plant site. Going into service is planned for 2010.

The most complex single component of the power plant is the 106 meter high utility steam generator (boiler). The future will see extremely hot (over 600°C) steam under a very high pressure (approx. 274 bar) being generated in the utility steam generator. The steam will then flow into a turbine with an attached generator converting the moving energy into electrical energy. The boiler pressure test now officially endorses the ability of the boiler to withstand the high pressures. TÜV Nord has issued the certificate in question. Around 9,900 tons of steel have been used. The piping has a total length of approx. 450 kms and 35,000 welds had to be welded at the pressure part.

Modern materials are responsible for the high 45%+ efficiency. They, in turn, allow higher temperatures and pressures to be realized in the boiler. At the same time, a host of individual steps keep down the internal electrical demands of the power plant unit. For comparative purposes: coal power plants in Germany have an average 38% efficiency and across the world is it is only 30%.

The employment effects from this new power plant are considerable for the energy state of North-Rhine Westphalia and the Ruhr, in particular. Since numerous power plant component manufacturers have their head offices in the Rhine/Ruhr area, a considerable slice of the investment sum goes on strengthening the regional economy. Much of the EUR two-digit million infrastructure volume required, for instance, on roads, construction and earthworks, have been and will be undertaken by companies in the region. At peak periods more than 1,500 tradesmen, technicians and other specialist have been at work on the site. Following commissioning 60 extra, long-term jobs will be in evidence at the location.


Facts and Figures on Walsum 10:

Installed capacity 750 MW class
Efficiency 45%+
Investment volume EUR 820 million
Fuel Coal
Laying the foundation stone 20 November 2006
Scheduled commissioning 2010


Information on the companies

Evonik Industries is the creative industrial group from Germany which operates in three business areas: Chemicals, Energy and Real Estate. Evonik is a global leader in specialty chemicals, an expert in power generation from hard coal and renewable energies, and one of the largest private residential real estate companies in Germany. Our strengths are creativity, specialization, continuous self-renewal, and reliability. Evonik is active in over 100 countries around the world. In its fiscal year 2008 about 41,000 employees generated sales of about €15.9 billion and an operating profit (EBITDA) of about €2.2 billion.

EVN AG is an international, stock exchange-quoted energy and services company with head offices in Lower Austria, the largest of the Austrian federal states. On the basis of the most up-to-date infrastructure, EVN provides its customers with electricity, gas, heat, water and the related work & services from a single source. EVN's range of supplies & services safeguards and enhances the quality of life for over 3 million customers in 198 different countries.

Hitachi Power Europe GmbH (HPE), a subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., designs and builds fossil-fired power plants and, with its plant references, is one of the market and technology leaders. The energy plant constructor also delivers key components such as utility steam generators, environmental technology, turbines and pulverizers. Since 2007 the company has had its head offices at the Inner Harbor in Duisburg / North-Rhine Westphalia and has a workforce (including related companies and manufacturing facilities) of around 1,800. Within the Hitachi Group, Hitachi Power Europe is responsible for the markets in Europe, the former CIS states, Africa and the Middle East.