Released August 25, 2011 | GALWAY, IRELAND
en
Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--Permission to build a 1,600-megawatt (MW) coal-fired plant in the northern port of Eemshaven in the Netherlands has been revoked by a Dutch court.
The plant, which is owned by Dutch utility Essent NV (Arnhem), a subsidiary of German energy major RWE AG (OTC:RWEOY) (Essen, Germany), is already under construction, but the Dutch Council of State in The Hague has cancelled permits granted by the government in 2008 on environmental grounds. The court agreed with environmental groups that RWE/Essent had submitted an incomplete environmental assessment relating to the plant's impact on a nearby UNESCO world heritage site. The plant sits next to the listed Wadden Sea area and the Wadden Islands coastal wetland area.
The decision brings construction at the plant to halt, and as there is no appeals process, the completion date could potentially be delayed by years as RWE/Essent will now have to reapply for the permits to the Dutch government and the provinces of Groningen and Friesland. The plant was due for completion in 2014 and will be capable of supplying electricity to approximately 3 million homes.
"We are very disappointed that after a lengthy and intensive process, there is still no final certainty about the completion of the most important energy project in the Netherlands," Essent responded after the ruling. "With the ruling, a large number of studies that are part of the permit have been accepted. On a number of points though, more clarity is needed. We are studying how to provide that."
The 2 billion ($2.9 billion) plant will use two 800-MW ultra-supercritical boilers from French manufacturer Alstom SA (EPA:ALO) (Levallois-Perret, France). The boilers are designed to operate under ultra-supercritical steam conditions at efficiencies of about 47% and require 20% less coal for the same power output than previous generations of equipment. The units are also designed to co-fire up to 10% biomass and can be retrofitted with carbon capture and storage (CCS) equipment. For additional information, see related March 27, 2009, article - Alstom to Supply Two 800-Megawatt Ultra-Supercritical Boilers for RWE Power's Eemshaven Coal-Fired Power Plant.
The decision comes just a fortnight after Essent reported that its other Dutch projects, the Claus C and Moerdijk 2 combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plants, underwent their first fire in recent weeks. Moerdijk 2 is on target to be commissioned later this year, while Claus C, located in Maasbracht will go into operation next summer. The plants will add an additional 970 MW capacity to the Dutch grid. For additional information, see related August 9, 2011, article - Dutch Gas-Fired Plants on Schedule.
View Plant Profile - 1086763
View Project Report - 200000910
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. IIR's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.
The plant, which is owned by Dutch utility Essent NV (Arnhem), a subsidiary of German energy major RWE AG (OTC:RWEOY) (Essen, Germany), is already under construction, but the Dutch Council of State in The Hague has cancelled permits granted by the government in 2008 on environmental grounds. The court agreed with environmental groups that RWE/Essent had submitted an incomplete environmental assessment relating to the plant's impact on a nearby UNESCO world heritage site. The plant sits next to the listed Wadden Sea area and the Wadden Islands coastal wetland area.
The decision brings construction at the plant to halt, and as there is no appeals process, the completion date could potentially be delayed by years as RWE/Essent will now have to reapply for the permits to the Dutch government and the provinces of Groningen and Friesland. The plant was due for completion in 2014 and will be capable of supplying electricity to approximately 3 million homes.
"We are very disappointed that after a lengthy and intensive process, there is still no final certainty about the completion of the most important energy project in the Netherlands," Essent responded after the ruling. "With the ruling, a large number of studies that are part of the permit have been accepted. On a number of points though, more clarity is needed. We are studying how to provide that."
The 2 billion ($2.9 billion) plant will use two 800-MW ultra-supercritical boilers from French manufacturer Alstom SA (EPA:ALO) (Levallois-Perret, France). The boilers are designed to operate under ultra-supercritical steam conditions at efficiencies of about 47% and require 20% less coal for the same power output than previous generations of equipment. The units are also designed to co-fire up to 10% biomass and can be retrofitted with carbon capture and storage (CCS) equipment. For additional information, see related March 27, 2009, article - Alstom to Supply Two 800-Megawatt Ultra-Supercritical Boilers for RWE Power's Eemshaven Coal-Fired Power Plant.
The decision comes just a fortnight after Essent reported that its other Dutch projects, the Claus C and Moerdijk 2 combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plants, underwent their first fire in recent weeks. Moerdijk 2 is on target to be commissioned later this year, while Claus C, located in Maasbracht will go into operation next summer. The plants will add an additional 970 MW capacity to the Dutch grid. For additional information, see related August 9, 2011, article - Dutch Gas-Fired Plants on Schedule.
View Plant Profile - 1086763
View Project Report - 200000910
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. IIR's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.
