The recovery facility was built for TenneT by Enecogen - a joint venture between Eneco and Castleton Commodities International LLC. After a construction period of 18 months, the facility is now ready for use. By putting it into operation, Enecogen becomes an important link in assisting TenneT to restore the electricity grid in the event of a total power failure. In accordance with European agreements TenneT wants to be prepared for such a situation, despite the fact that it is very unlikely that a blackout on such a scale will occur in the Netherlands.
Starter motor
In a blackout situation, the electricity plants in the Netherlands must be reactivated. Like a starter motor, the installation consisting of an emergency power generator and a gas turbine turns on the the Enecogen plant. As a result, the rest of the power supply - power stations, solar farms and windmills - can then be brought back on the grid step by step. Upon notification from TenneT, the recovery facility must be up and running as quickly as possible and subsequently continue to be available for at least 24 hours.
The Enecogen recovery facility is the third emergency facility contracted by TenneT in the Netherlands for this purpose. Similar facilities contracted by TenneT at an earlier stage are Nuon's Magnum power plant in the north and Eneco's Lage Weide power plant in the middle of the country. The completion of the 'starter motor of the south', completes TenneT's emergency facilities for blackout situations.
