PowerPlant X, Luxembourg

PowerPlant X is a historically significant power plant in Luxembourg. This power plant once served the adjacent steelworks. Interestingly, the steelworks is still operational. The disused part of the site spans several decades of redundant mechanical treasures.

We visited PowerPlant X during the Belgium / Luxembourg / France September 2017 – The Kolossal Tour. Because most of the site is still live, security is constantly on the lookout for explorers. Regrettably, an alarm curtailed our exploration of this location. Irrespective of the need for a hasty retreat, this was a good explore. I enjoyed the (mostly) relaxing explore of this industrial relic.

The historic 1890s Gas engine hall and pumping house

Undoubtedly, one of the main photographic attractions of PowerPlant X is the oldest. An original 1890s gas engine. This internal combustion blowing engine ran on by products produced during iron smelting. The engine burned gasses produced by the nearby blast furnace, released during the routine coke burning stage. This was revolutionary in its day; generating electricity from the blast furnace gas. The engine is a single-cylinder horizontal layout. There was once nine of these gas engines, housed in the PowerPlant X great hall. Now, only one of the 600HP engines remain.

Adjacent to this gas engine, is the pump house. Ferns grow on the old pumps and motors. Gas engines require constant cooling, usually achieved via water systems. These pumps and pipes would have worked constantly, circulating water around the gas engine.

The colossal 1930s gas engine of PowerPlant X

At the far end of the PowerPlant X engine hall, lies another industrial masterpiece. During the 1930s this behemoth machine was added. This single new engine had twice the horsepower of all nine of the 1890s machines, combined. It boasted four-cylinders and could produce over 5500Kw of electricity.

It was the biggest gas engine ever built, the crowning achievement of an era gone by. In the mid-19th century, newer and more efficient steam turbines became the industry benchmark for energy production. This signalled the death knell for gas engines, such as this. A new steam turbine hall was added to PowerPlant X in the 1940s. This was fuelled by burning coal. Subsequently, this was expanded during the 1950s. The newer steam turbines operated alongside the gas engine for over three decades. Ultimately, the gas engine was rendered obsolete in 1979 and shut down.