| SEO’s investment will allow the hydro-electric plant to meet increased demand for flexible electricity supply (photo: SEO) |
Par: Duncan Roberts | Publié le 27.02.2009 0:00
SEO unveils 150 million euro investment
The Vianden plant, which was built some 50 years ago, is one of the largest pumped storage hydroelectricity power stations in Europe. SEO’s decision to increase its capacity by a further 200 Megawatts – its ten machines currently generate a total capacity of 1100MW – was sparked by an increasing demand for the sort of flexible electricity supply the power station can produce. Pumped storage hydroelectricity allows the storage and production of electricity to supply high peak demands by moving water between reservoirs at different elevations. Surplus energy available during off-peak hours is used to pump water from a lower reservoir to an elevated storage basin. This water is released during peak hours to produce high-value electricity.
The SEO board gave the green light to the project at a meeting on 20 February, and the plans were unveiled on Thursday 26 February in the presence of Minister for Public Works Claude Wiseler and Minister for the Economy Jeannot Krecké. The installation of the new hydro-electric pump unit requires the excavation of a new 63,500m3 machine room in the hillside as well as some 1,700 metres of access tunnels and tubes for utility pipes. In addition, the capacity of the upper storage basin will be expanded by some 500,000m3. The official foundation stone for the new facility will be laid on 4 March and the unit will be operational by the end of 2012. Up to 300 workers will be employed at the site during the peak construction period. Jeannot Krecké said that the work will revive the region, with suppliers along the Our valley also benefitting from the construction work.
The total investment is nominally 150 million euros, which will be shared between project partners RWE (the Vianden plant is connected to the German electricity grid) and Cegedel. But Krecké expects the European Union to contribute anything between 5 and 10 million euros of that sum. The planning and construction will be overseen by Lahmeyer International from Germany, an independent engineering company that specialises in hydro-electric projects, and TR Engineering from Luxemburg, a multi-disciplinary engineering outfit that employs some 120 people under the leadership of Jean Louis Tremong et Jean Jacques Rauchs.
Krecké also applauded SEO’s efforts in wind energy – the company is currently investigating the possibility of installing some 29 wind turbines at different sites around Luxembourg. Once online, these turbines would increase Luxembourg’s renewable energy production capacity from 4 to 6 or even 7%, Krecké said.

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