Controlled Demolition in Ibbenbüren: 120-Meter Power Plant Structures Brought Down

Ibbenbüren - In a remarkable display of engineering, a 120-meter-tall boiler house and a 125-meter cooling tower were successfully demolished on Sunday in Ibbenbüren, located in the Münsterland region of North Rhine-Westphalia. The controlled explosions were orchestrated by the Hagedorn Group, the new owners of the decommissioned coal-fired power plant since 2023.

Prior to the demolition, local authorities evacuated residents from the vicinity of the former power station to ensure their safety. This precautionary measure affected approximately 130 local residents and around 700 individuals living in a communal accommodation center nearby. The event attracted numerous spectators eager to witness the destruction of these towering structures.

Images captured by the media showcase the moment the cooling tower collapsed, a spectacle that highlighted the scale of the demolition. The transformation of the site is part of a larger plan to repurpose the area for renewable energy initiatives. Following the demolition, the land is set to be handed over to Amprion, a transmission system operator, by the summer of 2026.

Amprion has ambitious plans for the site, intending to establish a converter station that will facilitate the integration of wind energy harvested from the North Sea into the national power grid. The estimated cost for the construction of this converter facility is around 600 million euros, marking a significant investment in sustainable energy infrastructure.

The demolition of the boiler house and cooling tower is a pivotal step in transitioning away from coal-based energy production, aligning with broader efforts to enhance renewable energy capabilities in the region.