Press release January 10, 2025

Planning of the gas connection pipeline is progressing

Iqony starts species protection mapping and supplementary surveying work

Bergkamen/Essen. As part of the planning work for a future gas connection pipeline for the Bergkamen-Heil power plant site, work will begin in January 2025 on behalf of the Essen-based energy company Iqony to map the area designated for the future route with regard to species protection. Final detailed planning will then take place at a later date on the basis of the data that has now been collected.

Before Christmas, Iqony announced that it would first have a drone flown over the area for surveying purposes. The species protection mapping that is now beginning and being carried out by an engineering firm specializing in such surveys is the next step on the way to developing a final route plan. The work for the species conservation mapping is expected to continue until spring 2026 in order to gain information spanning all vegetation periods.

“The results obtained in this way will then be incorporated into the further route planning. In this respect, the species conservation mapping is an important prerequisite for ensuring that the subsequent route planning can be as environmentally friendly as possible,” explains Dr. Jens Reich, overall project manager at Iqony for the planned new gas-fired power plant at the Bergkamen site, which will be climate-neutral in the future thanks to the use of hydrogen.

Further land surveying work and soil investigations
In parallel with the species protection mapping, another engineering service provider is carrying out additional surveying work and soil tests: “The surveying work supplements the results of the drone flights. This must be carried out in particular where drone flights were not possible without restrictions, for instance in the vicinity of overhead line towers or in areas where year-round vegetation does not allow a sufficient view from the air,” Jens Reich explains.

Here, too, and with the supplementary soil surveys, the aim is to gain further insights for the detailed planning of the gas connection pipeline and its route.

Local information in the official gazettes
The area covered by the investigations extends to the towns of Bergkamen and Werne. Iqony has already published a detailed announcement in the official gazettes of both towns.

The full text of this announcement is also attached to this press release; among other things, the document identifies the specific districts and corridors that fall entirely or at least partially within the study area.

Climate-neutral power plant needs a pipeline connection
The planning and construction of the gas connection line for the Bergkamen-Heil power plant site are necessary conditions for the construction of Iqony's planned new gas-fired power plant.

Depending on the politicians’ drafting of the legal framework for the construction of the new power plant, which is still pending, this will provide controllable and climate-neutral generation capacity in future whenever energy generation from renewable energies is unable to meet demand.