From coal to wind: successful power plant demolition in Ibbenbüren

A milestone for the energy transition: the boiler house and cooling tower of the former coal-fired power plant came down on 6 April. The Hagedorn Group and Amprion GmbH are thus marking a significant step in the sustainable use of the site.
 

The project at the former Ibbenbüren power plant is a prime example of the use of existing infrastructure: a modern converter station is being built on the site of the coal-fired power plant, which was shut down in 2021, that will feed offshore wind power into the grid. A significant milestone has now been reached with the successful demolition of the boiler house and the targeted dismantling of the cooling tower. The Hagedorn Group, which has owned the site since 2023, will prepare the area for construction by summer 2026 and hand it over to the transmission system operator Amprion. This marks a shift away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energies – an important step for the energy transition. More than 350 invited guests watched the demolition on Sunday. In their welcoming addresses, Oliver Krischer, the North Rhine-Westphalian Minister for the Environment and Transport, and Dr Marc Schrameyer, the mayor of Ibbenbüren, emphasised the significance of the project for the region and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Oliver Krischer: ‘The demolition of this former coal-fired power plant is symbolic of the energy transition in our country. Here in Ibbenbüren, the transition from fossil fuels to renewable, climate-friendly energy sources is becoming visible. Here, we are driving fundamental structural change and taking the next step. With the use of innovative technologies such as the new converter, we are bringing offshore wind power to North Rhine-Westphalia.’

Thomas Hagedorn, managing partner of the Hagedorn Group, also emphasises: ‘What is happening here is a prime example of successful structural change: we are transforming an industrial wasteland into a site for the future – without sealing new areas. Today's successful blasting was a milestone in this major project. It required precision, safety, responsibility and real teamwork. And our team has delivered – not just today, but day after day. A big thank you for that. My thanks also go to our partner Amprion and everyone else involved – everyone has pitched in and pulled together here,’
The handover of the construction-ready site to Amprion in mid-2026 will lay the foundation for the BalWin2 offshore grid connection system. The converter station for BalWin2 is being built on an industrial wasteland in order to minimise the impact on nature and the landscape. The existing power line from the former power plant will be used to connect the converter to the Westerkappeln substation.
‘Coal is leaving, wind is coming – this is symbolic for North Rhine-Westphalia. We will commission the project two years earlier than planned. The successful blasting is an important step in this direction. My special thanks go to the Hagedorn Group and the city of Ibbenbüren for the excellent cooperation,’ says Peter Barth, Managing Director of Amprion Offshore GmbH.

With the implementation of BalWin2, Amprion will for the first time connect offshore wind farms directly in North Rhine-Westphalia – a milestone for the sustainable energy supply of the region and beyond.
 

Background information on the demolition

The Hagedorn demolition team and the team from Deutsche Sprengunion, also part of the Hagedorn Group, spent months preparing for the demolition of the boiler house and the dismantling of the cooling tower. Around 150 experts were involved in the preparations and the execution. In addition, around 100 emergency services personnel from the police, public order office, fire brigade and the Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) were on hand on the day of the demolition.

A total of 500 kilograms of explosives were needed to bring down the 19,500-tonne boiler house and the 9,000-tonne air preheater in a targeted manner. Four of the ten columns supporting the 120-metre-high boiler house were cut through with the help of cutting charges, while the remaining six were brought down by a water-filled explosion. Three cradles were prepared to reduce the impact vibrations. Various protective measures were taken to minimise the spreading flight: stair towers were wrapped in fleece wire mesh, solid room supports were secured with wooden crates and wire mesh, and rubber mats were placed in front of the diagonal supports.

Thirty pools, each holding two cubic metres of water, were also used to reduce dust. When the structure collapsed, the detonation cords in the water were ignited, creating a wall of water that effectively bound the dust and minimised its spread.

In the case of the 125-metre-high cooling tower, on the other hand, a special steel cable technique was used. In order to bring about the controlled collapse of the building, 21 slits were milled into the structure of the tower. These slits , each 11 metres long and 50 centimetres wide, were located at a height of between 22 and 32 metres. The main purpose of the slits was to weaken the structure in a targeted manner so that it would lose its stability and collapse in a controlled manner.

In addition, eyelets were attached between the milling points, through which an 8-centimetre-diameter steel cable with a length of 230 metres was pulled. Another steel cable was installed inside the tower and connected to the outer cable. A cable tensioner was used to put these cables under tension. Two unmanned excavators, each weighing 100 tonnes, served as counterweights. The collapse process took place in stages: the tensioning of the cables slowly contracted the tower until it finally collapsed. Most of the breaking concrete fell into the water-filled cooling tower basin, minimising the formation of dust.

The cooling tower was not demolished by blasting because the supports contain asbestos-containing spacers, thus preventing the release of harmful asbestos fibres and ensuring the highest level of safety for people and the environment.

Most of the materials resulting from the demolition will be further crushed, separated and recycled as much as possible and reused on site. Throughout the entire dismantling process, care will be taken to return as much material as possible to the cycle. The aim is to achieve a recycling rate of up to 97 per cent. This should conserve natural resources and avoid additional transport as much as possible.


Photos and film material can be found here: Photo and film material of the detonation in Ibbenbüren