For the transition to climate neutrality: ENGIE Deutschland is upgrading its hydropower plants in Pfreimd

• ENGIE Deutschland invests more than ten million euros in the general overhaul of the Pfreimd power plant group
• All work is carried out under strict covid 19 safeguards and with the participation of many companies from the region

Berlin/Pfreimd – Today the major reconditioning of the Pfreimd power plant group has been launched: The power plants will be disconnected from the grid for about five months and parts of them will undergo a general overhaul. ENGIE Deutschland had postponed the start of the reconditioning, which was originally planned for the end of March, and extended the occupational health and safety protection by a comprehensive pandemic concept with strict protection and hygiene measures. This includes strictly separate work areas as well as additional toilet and washroom containers.

Investing in the future
The reconditioning work begins with the preparations for the replacement of all four transformers connecting the pumps and turbines to the 110-kilovolt power grid. The exchange, which includes structural maintenance, is scheduled to be completed in early September 2020. During this time, the power plant control system will undergoe safety-relevant upgrades to communication equipment. In addition, the pumped storage units of the Reisach power will be equipped with modernized turbine controller software, giving them further functions that will serve the marketing of balancing power. The electrical protection of the generators at the Reisach power plant and their excitation system will also be renewed, as already happened during the 2015 revision at the Tanzmühle power plant. In addition, there will be various structural repairs within the power plant group. However, the installation of new shut-off valves and the associated emptying of the high reservoir at Rabenleite is being postponed, since the components – due to the Corona pandemic – cannot currently be delivered from Switzerland. In all this work, ENGIE Deutschland relies on cooperation with a large number of regional companies: The contractors range from large transformer manufacturers to construction companies and scaffolding and assembly companies.

Important contribution to climate neutrality
ENGIE Deutschland is investing more than ten million euros in the site as part of the major reconditioning, which makes a significant contribution to the transition to climate neutrality. The power plant not only generates CO₂-free electricity in hydro-electric power plants, but also contributes to the stabilization of the grids with the pumped storage power plants. ENGIE undertook the last general overhaul of the plant in 2015; At that time, the specialist for energy, technology and service had updated numerous mechanical, electrotechnical and control system components, in particular at the Tanzmühle power plant, in addition to the structural repair of the underground pressure tunnels and the high reservoir.

Image source: Christoph Busse