The Hamm power plant, expected to be up and running at latest in 2012, will be the most modern and efficient hard-coal power plant in the world. Its two units will generate a total output of 1,600 megawatts, meaning the power plant will be supplying electricity for some seven million people. For Peikko, the Hamm power plant is among the largest energy projects it is taking part in. Peikko Deutschland delivered steel components for a power plant in Neurath, Germany, between the years 2006-2007. In Finland Peikko has been supplying steel components to Olkiluoto 3, the nuclear power plant being built on the country's West Coast.
Environmentally friendly
The power plant at Hamm costs RWE Power approximately €2,1 billion. Its 46 percent efficiency rate means the plant will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 2,5 million tons annually compared to older plants. This will correspond to a 30 percent reduction of carbon emissions in Germany in total, helping the country to meet its political targets. At peak times, 3,000 people will be employed at the site.
The new plant will also be "capture ready" with a downstream provision for CO2 scrubbing. If carbon capture and storage technology will be commercially available in 2020 as expected, the CO2 emissions could then be captured and stored.
Twenty-three municipal utilities from four different German states are partners in the power plant at Hamm. They have teamed up to form a cooperative called GEKKO (Gemeinschaftskraftwerk Steinkohle) and will hold a 350-megawatts share in the venture for 25 years. RWE Power's contract for earthwork, concreting and interior work with Alpine Construction is worth €135 million.
400 tonnes of fastening plates and corner protections
Peikko's role in Hamm consists of providing Alpine Construction 400 tons, or approximately 16,000 pieces steel inserts, such as fastening plates and corner protections. The fastening plates are made of steel S235JR and S355J2, special surface treatment according to the norms set by RWE Power. Part of the plates also went through ultrasonic testing. The corner protections are made of steel S235JR with hot dip galvanized surface treatment. The column shoes and anchor bolts are part of Peikko's standard product range. Some thirty people at Peikko Deutschland have been working on the project.
Heiko Solbach, Alpine Construction's site manager at Hamm, said Alpine Construction chose Peikko as the provider of steel components for the power plant because of its ability to provide detailed, complete documentation.Solbach said.
"In fact, what makes building power plants more challenging is the requirement to test every single building material - if it fits the purpose and can be used in a power plant. This was a demanding process, in which Peikko's lucid documentation was of great help," Solbach added.
Opening doors to new power projects
Christian Gerke, Sales Manager at Peikko Deutschland and a certified engineer, said Peikko used its work at Olkiluoto 3 as a reference to secure the deal with Alpine Construction. Peikko's delivery at Olkiluoto 3, which is the first nuclear power plant project to be built in Western Europe since the 1980s, totalled approximately 3,900 tonnes of steel components, including tailor-made parts. "Our earlier experience shows we are able to take part in the construction of a large scale energy project, keep apace with the delivery schedule, act flexible and, most importantly, adapt to the needs of the contractor and tailor our products to suit the site," Gerke said. He also noted Peikko believes the Hamm project will open new doors for it in the construction of future power plants. "This is actually a new market for us, in which we have started playing a more active role in the past four years. In the future many new power plants will be constructed elsewhere in Europe. Our experience will hopefully open doors for even bigger projects in the future," Gerke said.
Extraordinary design
Construction of the plant at Hamm started in August 2008. The first of the two blocks of the power plant is expected to be up and running in mid-2011 and the second one in early 2012. In January 2010 Peikko had delivered virtually the whole order. Only some smaller orders for secondary buildings are pending delivery. In addition to the two units, which have an output of 800 megawatts each, the site will consist of two slides and a number of other buildings including a boiler house. The design of the power plant means challenges in the construction phase as the silos and stair towers in the plant's boiler houses, which are being made in gliding method, will reach a height of up to 120 meters.
Gerke said the cooling towers of the complex, which Wayss and Freytag built for RWE Power, were connected with the help of Peikko's column shoes and anchor bolts. "This was one of the first times where the Peikko's system was used to connect this kind of buildings," he said.
"At the moment the machine house and crane of the project are ready and we are working on the silos. The construction is proceeding in the planned schedule," Solbach added.
Overall, Alpine Construction is happy the way its cooperation with Peikko at Hamm processed. "We have had excellent communication with Peikko throughout the process. At one point we were concerned about the corrosion protection of some of the steel components, but this we could also discuss and assess together with Peikko," Solbach said and added: "Deliveries have taken place on time. Even though there were some last-minute orders Peikko was able complete these."