Wreaking Havoc: Last Blows at Saarland's Power Plant Demolition Site
Explosions occurred at the final structures on the power plant site in Saarland. - Explosion destroys remaining structures on power plant premises in Saarland.
You bet your boots, the final acts of demolition have been carried out at the ex-coal plant site in Ensdorf, Saarland. Down the hatch went the 80-meter boiler house and a hefty bunker structure, leaving nothing but rubble and dust in their wake. A spokesperson for VSE AG confirmed things ran like clockwork, deeming it a textbook demolition.
Fueling the blast were a whopping 300 kilograms of explosives. The structures were strategically flattened, as stated by the spokesperson, to prepare them for the dismantling process. Decommissioning of the old power plant has been ongoing since January 2023, with the plant officially powering down at year's end 2017.
A safety perimeter was enforced around the demolition zone, forcing a temporary closure of the A620 motorway in both directions and a stretch of the B51 federal road near the power plant.
Saarland's coal past runs deep
In mid-2024, the demolition crew also took down the unique, 120-meter cooling tower. Previously, in mid-2024, two chimneys — one standing at 150 meters, the other at 180 meters — were also reduced to smithereens. The goal was to wrap demolition efforts by September, but unforeseen circumstances could have altered that timeline.
When it comes to coal, Saarland's history goes back over 250 years. As the blood-and-guts of the coal industry, coal mining in Saarland came to an end on June 30, 2012. The Ensdorf power plant kicked off its operation in 1961 by VSE AG and supplied electricity for decades.
Future of the site uncertain as a goat's morning
On the remaining section of the ex-coal plant site in Ensdorf, the U.S. semiconductor manufacturer, Wolfspeed, dropped a bombshell in February 2023 by announcing plans to construct a significant facility for silicon carbide semiconductors. But in October 2024, Wolfspeed put the brakes on its plans, citing a lack of electric vehicle demand and other reasons.
So, what's next for this tract of land? Only time—and local government initiatives—will tell. Historically, power plant sites find new life as factories, renewable energy hubs, or mixed-use developments, but that future depends on various factors like governmental decisions, economic trends, and environmental concerns.
Stay tuned and keep a weather eye out for developments! Your friendly local government or development authority should be able to fill in the blanks on specific plans for the site.
- Saarland
- Demolition
- Ensdorf
- Boiler House
- The demolition of Saarland's power plant in Ensdorf, which began in January 2023, included the dismantling of the boiler house and a substantial bunker structure in mid-2024.
- The demolition team was scheduled to complete their work on the power plant site by September, although unforeseen circumstances may have delayed the timeline.
- The final acts of demolition at the ex-coal plant site in Ensdorf involved the strategic flattening of structures using a significant amount of explosives.
- In February 2023, plans were announced for a new facility to be built on the remaining section of the ex-coal plant site in Ensdorf, but these plans were halted in October 2024 due to a lack of electric vehicle demand and other factors.