With the new block, Alpiq is already now compliant with the new EU guidelines on CO2 emissions effective as of 1 January 2016. Not only will the new block supply more electricity locally, regionally and nationally, it will also be an even more reliable heat supplier for the city of Kladno.
The K7 project phase took almost four years and included planning, approval processes, construction, and commissioning. At around 260 million euros, it is the largest investment in the Czech Republic since Alpiq entered that market in 2002. During the construction phase of the new block, more than five thousand external employees from approximately 60 sub-contractors worked at the site under the management of the general contractor, Kraftanlagen München. Between August and December 2013 the new K7 block was operated in a test phase during which all electrical, control, safety, mechanical and other systems were checked.
Alpiq Generation (CZ) is a subsidiary of Alpiq Holding Ltd., based in Lausanne/Switzerland. The company operates a coal and a gas power station in Kladno, as well as a further coal power plant in Zlín. The plants comply with Czech and EU environmental standards. The Kladno power stations have a total installed capacity of 516 megawatts; the Zlín plant has 66 megawatts. The company thus ranks among the largest independent energy producers in the Czech Republic. By also providing ancillary services, it contributes significantly to the stability of the Czech Republic’s power supply system.