Power plants
Here is an overview of our large and medium sized power plants.
Amer power plant
The Amer power plant, in Geertruidenberg, is one of Essent's larger generating facilities. The plant consists of Unit 8 (in operation since 1980) and Unit 9 (in operation since 1993). The two units have a combined electricity generating capacity of 1,245 megawatt and a heat generating capacity of 600 megawatt. They can generate enough electricity each year to satisfy the needs of three million households. Apart from coal, we use clean biomass and wood gas as fuel. The power plant can also operate on natural gas.
Claus power plant
The Claus power plant, in Maasbracht, consists of two identical generating units, which came on stream in 1977 and 1978 respectively. Each unit has a generating capacity of 640 megawatt. At the Claus power plant, we generate electricity using natural gas.
In 1993 and 1994 respectively, the units were converted to start/stop units. This means that they can be started up and shut down rapidly to respond as effectively and efficiently as possible to the daily fluctuations in electricity demand.
Moerdijk power plant
The Moerdijk cogeneration power plant has been operating since 1997. The power plant generates electricity and heat using natural gas and steam from the nearby waste-incineration plant of Afvalverbranding Zuid-Nederland (AZN). The electricity generating capacity of the power plant is variable between 122 megawatt and 339 megawatt. The power plant can supply up to 200 tonnes of steam an hour, of which a maximum of 150 tonnes an hour goes to the nearby facility of Shell Nederland Chemie.
Swentibold power plant
The Swentibold cogeneration power plant, in Geleen, has been in operation since 1999. It generates electricity and heat (in the form of steam) using natural gas and residual gases from DSM. Most of the electricity and heat is supplied to the Noord and Zuid DSM facilities in Geleen. The power plant has an electricity generating capacity of 231 megawatt and can generate up to 300 tonnes of steam an hour.
Cuijk bio energy power plant
At the Cuijk bio energy power plant, Essent uses clean biomass for fuel from which we generate green electricity for approximately 60,000 households. Clean biomass is vegetable material that has not been treated with colouring for example. At the bio energy power plant, we use mainly prunings from forests managed by Staatsbosbeheer, municipal public gardens and waste from the wood industry.
Midsize cogeneration power plants
Essent's midsize cogeneration power plants convert natural gas to electricity and heat.
The electricity generated is routed to the national grid and the heat is used in industrial processes, in horticulture and for area heating. By combining the generation of electricity and heat, we produce more energy from the fuel we use. Essent's midsize cogeneration power plants are in Bergen op Zoom, Eindhoven, Enschede, Erica, Helmond, 's-Hertogenbosch and Klazienaveen. As a rule, these power plants are not manned. We operate virtually all the units remotely from our regional centre in Eindhoven.
Wind farms
Essent is one of the Netherlands' largest producers of electricity from wind energy. Around the country we operate 12 windparks.
Gramsbergen hydro power plant
Hydro power plant De Haandrik is on the river Vecht, close to Gramsbergen in the province of Overijssel. This very small power plant supplies 300,000 kilowatt-hours of green electricity a year, enough to satisfy the needs of only about 100 households.
Linne hydro power plant
The Linne hydro power plant is on the river Maas, near to Linne in Limburg. The power plant supplies approximately 35 million kilowatt-hours a year, thus providing green electricity to over 10,000 households.