While the coal-fired thermal power plant in Saint-Avold (Moselle) is expected to operate for one more winter, its operator, GazelEnergie, is planning its medium-term future. This subsidiary of the Czech group EPH (owned by Daniel Kretinsky) presented several scenarios on July 18 that would allow it to maintain its 72 jobs while maintaining an electricity production activity.
«The Emile Huchet power plant has played a vital role in balancing the French electricity grid over the past two years. We have three value propositions that would help keep its facilities in service“, underlines Frédéric Faroche, the president of Gazel Energie.
The energy company, which employs a total of 500 people (turnover of 3 billion euros in 2023), is first considering a partial conversion of the plant to biomass. The project would not be to replace all of the coal with biomass, but to substitute half of the ore with high calorific pellets or “black pellets”. This project, half coal, half biomass, would involve an investment of 100 million euros to adapt the existing installations, which would considerably reduce the bill compared to a complete conversion estimated at more than a billion euros.
This transitional offer – the plant would operate for a limited period of ten years – could, however, come up against the strategy of the public authorities. In a speech on September 24, 2023, the President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron, promised to phase out coal by 2027 by converting the last two coal-fired plants, Saint-Avold and Cordemais (Loire-Atlantique), to biomass.
In this context, two other options are on the table. GazelEnergie is considering converting Emile Huchet into a power plant producing electricity from biogas.This would involve converting the boiler-turbine pair by replacing the coal burners with gas burners.“, explains Jérôme Ladrière, the development director of GazelEnergie. The 540 megawatt installation would require an investment of 110 million euros; with one megawatt hour of electricity emitting less than 535 kg of CO2. Another alternative is the construction of an entirely new biogas plant. The project would represent a much larger investment, from 500 million to 1.2 billion euros, for a maximum power of 900 megawatts.
For Camille Jaffrelo, director of public affairs at GazelEnergie, “The question is what place is given on the French electricity network to insurance assets like Saint-Avold, whose purpose is to operate a few hundred hours per year, during winter consumption peaks.“After operating for 1,200 hours when it was first put back into service, due to a harsh winter and the unavailability of part of the French nuclear fleet, the Emile Huchet power plant operated for 150 hours during the milder winter of 2023-2024.
GazelEnergie hopes for a response from the State on its three scenarios by the end of 2024, in order to give prospects to the 72 employees of the plant, while the contracts of 40 of them will end on March 31, 2025.
Electrolysers in 2027-2028
At the same time, the energy company discussed the progress of its low-carbon hydrogen production project in Saint-Avold with a view to decarbonizing the German steel industry. The environmental and operating authorization application must be filed during the month of July and the building permit application during the month of August. A first tranche of 200 MW could be commissioned in 2027-2028, a second of 200 MW by 2030, for a total investment of 780 million euros, with 200 jobs at stake.We have the land, the electrical infrastructure, and the future hydrogen pipeline currently being built by GRTgaz will pass through our site.“, insists Romain Deshayes, head of business development. The ball is now in the court of the German steel company SHS (Stahl Holding Saar), which is currently examining the offer from the energy company and that of its competitor Verso Energy, which is carrying out a similar project on the same Carling-Saint-Avold platform.
Source: www.usinenouvelle.com
