The emergency power station in Birr will be available from February

The backup power plant with eight generators in Birr AG will be ready for operation in February. General Electric (GE) Gas Power announced this during a press briefing on Monday. The system, commissioned by the federal government, is intended to produce emergency power.

The program is very sporty, said project manager Christian Verhoeven at the media conference. He is confident that the deadline can be met. They work closely with the Federal Office of Energy (SFOE).

According to the contract with the federal government, the back-up power plant should be ready for commissioning by February 15, if necessary. GE Gas Power is building the temporary back-up power plant on behalf of the federal government. The eight generators can run on gas, oil or hydrogen.

Testing will start in December

The first gas turbine generators arrived in mid-November and are already on the planned foundation, the media conference said. The installed gas turbines will be connected in December. According to GE Gas Power, operational tests will then take place.

The first Swiss reserve power plant has a capacity of 250 megawatts when fully operational. This corresponds to a quarter of the output of the nuclear power plant of Leibstadt AG. In the case of emergency operation, the limit values ​​from the Noise Nuisance and Clean Air Regulation cannot initially be met.

The eight gas turbine generators on GE’s property, within sight of a housing project in Birr, will remain in place until 2026. The federal government estimates the total cost at CHF 460 million. He signed a deal with GE Gas Power in September.

A dozen climate activists demonstrated on Monday against the reserve power plant in front of the entrance to the company site. (SDA)