RWE Power submits application to change regional plan at Niederaussem location

Plan for new BoAplus power plant presented: higher efficiency and greater flexibility combined with renewable energies. End Quote

(1888PressRelease) October 08, 2011 - Today, RWE Power submitted a proposal to the Cologne district government to change the regional plan. In doing this, the company wants to secure the option of refurbish its power plants in the Rhine lignite mining area. In the process, a technology will be used that offers benefits in combination with renewable energies and thus actively supports the change in energy policy. The next steps for approval will also be introduced soon in line with the regional plan procedure. "We hope that all procedures can be concluded within the next two to three years. We can only make the final decision to build once we have the legally secure approvals", explained Dr. Johannes Lambertz, President and CEO of RWE Power, today in Niederaussem. The prerequisite for this decision is the power plant's cost-effectiveness.
Company relies on innovative power plant technology

The planned new power plant unit with an installed electrical capacity of 1,100 megawatts will have an efficiency of 45 percent, a level never achieved before in a lignite mining area.It is a further development of the lignite-fired plant with optimised plant engineering (BoA). This is also reflected in the project’s name: BoAplus. The new plant will be more flexible, efficient and environmentally friendly. With the commissioning of the new plant, RWE Power will finally decommission four older 300 MW units in Niederaussem, a total therefore of 1,200 MW, meaning that the same amount of power will be produced with 30 percent less coal. That is roughly three million tons a year. CO2 emissions will decrease to the same extent. RWE Power therefore sees the project as complying with the objectives of the planned NorthRhine-Westphalia climate protection act. At the same time, emissions into the environment caused by the plant will be significantly reduced.

A two-boiler concept, in which two steam generators each with 550 MW output drive the turbines, makes the plant considerably more flexible. It can level out any fluctuations in the electricity grid due to the input of solar and wind power and therefore actively support the development of renewable energies. BoAplus is being prepared for cogeneration and for the later capture of carbon dioxide emissions using CO2 scrubbing. An additional co-combustion of biomass is also possible in the plant. A hybrid cooling tower largely prevents the formation of visible steam during the day and thus reduces any burden on residents. A construction period of roughly three to four years can be expected to build this kind of plant, after the provision of definitive approval.

"With BoAplus we not only comply with changing economic, technological and energy policy conditions. In the new plan, we have also addressed the requirements that we received from the Cologne Regional Council 2007 and from the region itself", emphasised the CEO of RWE Power. Maximum transparency and information will give residents in the region an understanding of the project.
EEFA analysis: Project will trigger production effects of € 2.5 billion

According to a current analysis by the EEFA research institute (Energy Environment Forecast Analysis) the project with an investment total of €1.5 billion would trigger production effects of almost €2.5 billion. In addition, roughly 1,000 jobs would be secured in the region by operating BoAplus.

Johannes Lambertz emphasised: "BoAplus means less coal consumption, lower levels of emissions and pollution and an improved environment around the power plant for the residents."

For inquiries:
Stephanie Schunck
Head of Corporate Communications
RWE Power AG
T: +49 201 1222088
stephanie.schunck ( @ ) rwe dot com

Lothar Lambertz
Head of External Communications
RWE Power AG
T: +49 201 1223984
lothar.lambertz ( @ ) rwe dot com

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