Erzhausen hydropower plant

It was commissioned in 1964 after a ten-year construction phase by PreussenElektra, later called E.ON and fully refurbished in 1998. At the beginning of 2009, Statkraft took over the plant.

Erzhausen has an installed capacity of 220 MW. The yearly electricity generation is variable and dependent on the electricity demand.

The pumped-storage power plant works with four Francis-Spiral turbines and is primarily used for peak power needs as well as to support the power frequency. Within 59 seconds the power plant can operate at full capacity, and in just 90 seconds it can switch from producing hydropower to pumping water back into the reservoir.

Erzhausen is prequalified for delivering secondary and tertiary control reserve.

In addition, the plant can provide so-called black starts. A black start is the process of restoring an electric power station or a part of a power grid to operation without relying on the external transmission network.