The start of construction works at the Heilbronn power plant site, EnBW's third so-called "fuel switch" project, follows the Altbach/Deizisau construction, already started last year, and in which Sener also participated along with GE Vernova and Bonatti.
The plant is expected to deliver nearly 710 MW and around 190 MW of district heating capacity for the mid-Neckar region by 2026, supporting Germany's coal-fired power phase out.
The construction works of EnBW's new power plant in Heilbronn (Germany) have recently taken place, following the one in Altbach/Deizisau last year. The international consortium formed by GE Vernova, Sener and Bonatti will carry out the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) of the new plant, in the mid-Neckar region, paving the way for its coal-free and hydrogen-ready future.
With a maximum electrical output of 710 MW and around 190 MW of district heating capacity, the Heilbronn combined cycle gas turbine plant is being built to replace the currently coal-fired one and reduce carbon emissions by more than 50 percent. To secure the supply of district heating, a heat storage facility with a capacity of 600 megawatt-hours and a hot water boiler system with a district heating capacity of approximately 170 MW are simultaneously being built.
During the conversion, part of the district heating grid will also be modernized in an energy-efficient manner by switching from a steam to a hot water network. The district heating grids supply around 300 industrial and commercial customers in Heilbronn and Neckarsulm, alongside around 150 residential buildings. The plant is expected to start operation by the end of 2026.
This way, the Heilbronn power plant will replace existing coal-fired plants with more efficient natural gas fired plants while enabling future fuel mix combustion of up to 20% by volume of hydrogen. Both plants (Altbach/Deizisau and Heilbronn) are expected to deliver in total nearly approximately 1340 megawatts (MW) to the German grid, the equivalent needed to power approximately 2,4 million German homes (considered operation as intermediate-load power station and average 3-person-households), as well as steam for district heating for the citizens, commerce and industry of Heilbronn and the larger Stuttgart area.
The project is aligned to the European and national regulations in the decarbonization path towards 2050 to promote district heating in achieving the goals of efficiency, energy sustainability, use of renewables, and reduction of fossil fuel use.
