Kraftwerk P, Germany

Kraftwerk P is a disused coal-fired power station in Germany. It features a fantastic Art Deco control room, turbine halls, boiler house, pump house, two chimneys and four cooling towers. Kraftwerk P was built during the 1920s, and remained one of the most advanced power stations in Germany well into the 1930s. It was intended to provide additional power during peak-hours of electricity demand, both domestically and industrially. Brown coal (Lignite) was supplied to the power station from nearby open cast coal mines, generating over 50 megawatts of electricity after additional 1940s modernisation. There were five gas turbines in the turbine halls (only one remained at the time of our visit), which were connected to five boilers. Large transformers were added in the 1970s to increase the output voltages. Kraftwerk P was decommissioned and taken off the grid in the early 1990s.

One solitary large black turbine stands in the large turbine hall, the rest have been removed. The floor is a neat black and white tiles. Connected to the turbine hall, is the boiler house. A labyrinth of pipes intertwined with metal walkways and stairs stretch up into the darkness of the high ceiling. Rusty boilers and their associated valves, taps, levers and dials. Several control panels and work stations are dotted around the edges of the boiler house.

On the other side of the turbine room, is the main attraction; an Art Deco control room. Green panels line the beige walls, covered with many dials and buttons. The two central consoles/work stations still have their original chunky retro telephones. The small control room is well-lit by a large skylight set in a striking orange/red-painted ceiling.

A well-preserved power station control room is always a treat to visit, especially these pristine 1920s Art Deco examples. We spent several hours wondering round taking in this rare relic of German industrial heritage.