VERBUND and POWEO to construct power plant in France
Today the construction works on the 412 MW steam power plant Pont sur Sambre are due to commence in North France. Construction will take 25 months, investment costs of the mainly VERBUND-financed project amount to 233 million Euro. The power plant will generate an annual output of 2.5 Terawatt hours of electricity for 400,000 households.
“In line with our proven strategy of perceiving of the electricity markets not just as trading partners, but also as generators, construction beginnings in Pont sur Sambre constitute a decisive step in this important electricity market,” General Director Dipl.-Ing. Hans Haider says.
France is the second largest electricity market in the European Union and will effectuate complete deregulation of the electricity market in July 2007.
With its partner POWEO, VERBUND pursues ambitious goals in France. Through the joint entrance to the French market, the company intends to become the first competitor of the still state-run French power economy. In addition, three further power plants are being planned in Beaucaire, Toul and Le Havre. By 2012, POWEO intends to have increased its generation capacity to 3,400 Megawatt.
Moreover, as already reported, the company, has obtained the go-ahead for the construction of a flue gas terminal in Le Havre, which will help secure the long-term access to decreasing primary energy carriers.