The start of the year at the Energiepark Bad Lauchstädt is marked by wintry conditions – and by concentrated work on the crucial technical components. While weather-dependent steps are currently on hold, much of the work inside the facilities continues according to plan.
Gas processing
In the hydrogen gas processing plant, the focus is currently on careful technical preparation. The plant is approximately 99 percent mechanically complete. Backfilling of the construction site is currently underway, and in parallel, the delivery and installation of the plant control system began last week. A total of eleven control cabinets are being brought in and connected for this purpose.
The first TÜV inspection in the field of electrical engineering is scheduled for the end of March. This will be followed by step-by-step functional tests and trial runs of the plant – initially without hydrogen (so-called cold commissioning). This phase serves to test all control, safety, and process sequences under realistic conditions and to coordinate them optimally. The so-called cold commissioning is scheduled for April 2026.
Progress in the electrolysis hall
Regardless of the weather, visible progress is being made in the electrolysis hall. The stacks for the second electrolysis module have been fully installed. In parallel, assembly of the third module has begun. Step by step, the plant is growing toward its planned total capacity.
Grid connection to the refinery established
A significant technical milestone was reached in January: The physical grid connection point to the TotalEnergies Leuna refinery has been established. This means the plant system is interconnected from the start of production to delivery to the customer via pipelines. A spectacle blind currently separates the systems until the later start of production. The infrastructural connection has thus been established.
January shows that even quieter months in the course of the project are crucial. While the winter weather dictates the pace of individual tasks, the Energiepark Bad Lauchstädt is making consistent progress inside – thus creating important foundations for the next stages in 2026.
