Following the acquisition of an additional 159 megawatts, EnBW now has a 100% electricity obtainment right to the Bexbach coal-fired power station

Karlsruhe. EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG continues with its vigorous strategy of developing its generation capacity. After acquiring an 8.3% share of the Bexbach coal-fire power station from E.ON in May this year, with effect from 1 October 2009 EnBW has now acquired a 16.7% share of the power station from STAWAG Energie GmbH and the associated 159 megawatts (MW) generation capacity. An agreement to this effect was signed by EnBW and STAWAG on 12 October 2009. It was agreed that the purchase price would not be disclosed. Following the acquisition of the STAWAG share, EnBW now owns 714 MW of installed power in Bexbach, thereby increasing its electricity obtainment right to 100 per cent.

In 2008 EnBW began an ambitious investment program in which it defined the expansion of its generation capacities as a major strategic objective for the company. As Hans-Peter Villis, Chairman and CEO of EnBW explains: "In 2009, EnBW was able to increase its generation capacities by 1100 MW in the space of just a few months. This was achieved through the acquisition of shares in the Lippendorf Block S, Rostock and Bexbach coal-fired power stations, through the acquisition of three new onshore wind parks in Germany, and through the acquisition of electricity obtainment rights from the Buschhaus power station.

EnBW is also constructing a high-efficiency coal-fired power station in Karlsruhe with a gross nominal output of 912 MW. At the start of October, EnBW agreed with E.ON on the mutual exchange of generation capacities of 800 MW, meaning that in future EnBW will have access to 800 MW of power from German power stations. By way of return, E.ON is to purchase from EnBW its 800 MW of electricity produced at EDF nuclear power plants in France.

In recent months EnBW has also invested heavily in the expansion of its renewable energies. "We are spending around 100 million euros on the installation of an additional turbine with an output of 38 MW at our Iffezheim hydroelectric power plant. We are also investing around 400 million euros in the construction of the Rheinfelden hydroelectric power plant with an installed output of 100 MW. Furthermore, we are developing four offshore projects in the North Sea and Baltic Sea respectively with around 1200 MW total output", explains Dr. Hans-Josef Zimmer, Technical Director at EnBW. The first of these wind parks, Baltic 1, with around 50 MW, is due to come online at the end of 2010, which as things stand will make it the first commercial offshore wind park in the German Baltic Sea.