Test and restart of operations of Landau geothermal plant imminent
Geothermal power plant in Landau, Germany (source: flickr/ webguy63, creative commons)
Alexander Richter
26 Jul 2017
Daldrup & Söhne AG has received regulatory approval of a special operating plan for the Landau geothermal power plant in Germany. Tests of safety systems, primary circuit and plant components can start shortly and imminent restart of operations.
In a release yesterday, German drilling and geothermal company Daldrup & Söhne AG annoucnes that it has received regulatory approval of a special operating plan for the Landau geothermal power plant in Germany. Tests of safety systems, primary circuit and plant components can start shortly.
geo x GmbH, a subsidiary of the drilling technology and geothermics specialist Daldrup & Söhne AG and the operator of the Landau geothermal power plant in Landau i.d. Pfalz, Germany, will receive approval for its special operating plan for “the construction and upgrade for the facilities of the geothermal power plant Landau for the production of geothermal energy” this month according to a release by the responsible regulator, the Rheinland-Pfalz state authority for geology and mining (LGB)
The special operating plan documents the extensive refurbishment work, particularly on the injection well as well as the plant’s newly installed safety systems. As a result of these improvements individual tests of the plant’s components and a trial operation of the entire plant will be conducted to check the installed safety technology in coordination with the LGB and the Structure and Approval Management South authority (SGD). Daldrup has made investments in the plant’s reconstruction and refurbishment, especially its control and safety systems, over the last couple of quarters.
“We are excited that the extensive reconstruction and refurbishment work has been completed and thus to receive the relevant approvals”, says Josef Daldrup, CEO of Daldrup & Söhne AG. “The power plant is ready to operate. By order of and in collaboration with the LGB and the SGD, we have massively upgraded the plant’s security systems, which now use state-of-the-art technology. Following the tests and a successful trial operation, our goal is to start regular operations in coordination with the authorities. Geothermics will provide the region with climate-friendly energy from local geothermal energy for the long term.”
Daldrup & Söhne AG acquired 40% of the plant’s shares from EnergieSüdwest AG in 2013. The plant uses hot groundwater (ca. 160 degrees Celsius with a flow rate of 50-70 liters/sec.) from layers of rock as deep as 3,000 meters to generate electricity. The plant has been set up to for an electrical output of up to 3.6 MW.
Source: Company release
