Blasting of the chimneys at the Moorburg site

Dismantling of the former power plant creates space for green hydrogen infrastructure 

The transformation of the Moorburg site is progressing rapidly: today, the Hagedorn Group blew up the chimneys of the flue gas desulphurisation plant. They fell to the ground in no time, changing the silhouette of the former coal-fired power plant, which was visible from afar. The demolition of the chimneys is another milestone in the decommissioning process, which has been in full swing since autumn 2023 and is the responsibility of Energie Hub Moorburg GmbH. The Hagedorn Group is responsible for the execution. The demolition work is creating space for the development of a green hydrogen infrastructure. The Hamburg Green Hydrogen Hub (HGHH) project plans to start construction of a 100 MW electrolysis plant for green hydrogen as early as 2025. This should contribute to the decarbonisation of the port and industry.

At 10:14 a.m., the time had come: the 2,300-tonne, 130-metre-high chimneys of the FGD plant, consisting of a steel structure and two stacks, fell onto the prepared bed at the former gypsum storage area. The Hagedorn Group demolition team has been preparing the demolition for weeks. The focus was on the extensive protective measures and precise preparation of the demolition. 

Jens Hofmann, Head of the Dismantling Division at Hagedorn Group: ‘The demolition was another successful milestone in the dismantling of the Moorburg power plant and we are very satisfied with the result. We are already managing our fifth power plant project at the Moorburg site and are pleased to be able to contribute our recognised dismantling expertise here as well.’ 

Dr Melanie Leonhard, Senator for Economics and Innovation: ‘We are in the midst of a transformation to a climate-friendly economy and industry. In the future, we will still need a reliable and affordable energy supply, and we still want to be an industrial location. That is why we are ensuring the availability of hydrogen as an energy source with an import strategy and local production. Hydrogen will be produced here in the future, and the scaling of production is already being planned today. Today marks another step towards achieving this goal."

Jens Kerstan, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Hamburger Energiewerke GmbH and Senator for the Environment, Climate, Energy and Agriculture: ’With today's demolition of the chimneys, we are making way for the future, visible from afar. I would like to thank everyone involved in this milestone, and I am particularly pleased that we are well on schedule and that the hydrogen site in Hamburg is continuing to take shape. Despite the current difficult political situation, we will make Hamburg an important hydrogen centre in Germany and Europe and continue to work consistently to achieve our climate goals.’

Christian Heine, spokesperson for the management of Hamburger Energiewerke GmbH: ‘We have made great progress this year in developing a green hydrogen infrastructure in Hamburg: in the summer, the HGHH project received national funding and was able to order the 100 MW electrolyser from Siemens Energy. At the same time, our subsidiary has made good progress with the dismantling of the former power plant at the Moorburg site, so that construction of the electrolyser can start in the middle of next year.’

Safety and preparation measures

In cooperation with the responsible utility companies, Hagedorn had protected the switchgear and high-voltage pylons on the power plant site and in the immediate vicinity with three-stage protective measures: A wooden crate was built around the supports, with a rockfall protection net stretched over it. In addition, a container wall and protective scaffolding were erected and a wall of construction rubble was piled up. The prepared bed minimized the impact of today's blasting. 

In advance of today's blasting, plant components of the power station were dismantled, foundation bolts were cut through, drill holes were made, steel columns were pre-weakened and the explosives were precisely positioned with the help of internal and external static and blasting experts. The six box-section columns of the plant were filled with water and each was equipped with a charge several metres long. The two column foundations were additionally prepared with 28 blast holes. A total of 160 kilograms of explosives were needed to bring down the plant at full length. Almost 100 people were involved in the successful demolition, including 55 volunteers from the Federal Agency for Technical Relief. In the coming weeks, a large part of the materials resulting from the blasting will be further crushed, separated and recycled as much as possible. The aim is to achieve the highest possible recycling rate. Steel scrap will be fully recycled and reused. During the entire dismantling process, care is taken to return as much material as possible to the cycle. This is to conserve natural resources and avoid additional transport as much as possible.
 

Status of the decommissioning of the former power plant site in Moorburg

The former coal-fired power plant in Moorburg has been undergoing decommissioning since October 2023 to make way for the 100 MW electrolyser and the connection to the hydrogen network. The deconstruction of the gypsum storage and the associated outbuildings, including the foundations, as well as the above-ground deconstruction of the two absorber containers, have already been largely completed. The ash silos and the induced draft buildings have also been largely deconstructed. With today's demolition of the chimneys, the deconstruction work for the flue gas desulphurisation plant is largely complete. The second phase will see the dismantling of the powerhouse, the boiler houses and the hybrid cooling tower. The coal storage areas will also be dismantled soon. Some of the existing infrastructure and facilities can be used in the future for hydrogen production. For example, the water treatment plants and the workshop and storage building will be retained. The existing connection to the extra-high voltage grid, which will be used to supply the electrolyser with electricity from renewable sources in the future, will be converted and relocated. The Hamburg energy works acquired the Moorburg power plant in March 2023, and the subsidiary Energie Hub Moorburg GmbH is responsible for its decommissioning. The Hagedorn group is implementing the decommissioning.
 

Image material and footage are available at the following link: https://publicarea.admiralcloud.com/p/9izYwjMtPnJR4pzyKdy1Wd
Image credit: Hagedorn Group

For further information, please contact:

Hamburger Energiewerke
Friederike Grönemeyer
Corporate Communications
friederike.groenemeyer(at)hamburger-energiewerke.de
Phone: +49 40 6396 2552

Hagedorn Group
Judith Roderfeld
Press Officer
Roderfeld(at)ug-hagedorn.de
Phone: +49 5241 500 51 2748

Ministry for Economic Affairs, Labour and Transport
Martin Helfrich
Press Officer
martin.helfrich(at)bwi.hamburg.de
Phone: +49 40 42841 2239

Ministry for the Environment, Climate, Energy and Agriculture
Birgit Seitz
Head of Press and Public Relations Division
birgit.seitz(at)bukea.hamburg.de
Phone: +49 40 42840 2536