The project – to be operated as a joint venture of Enercon and swb AG – went online in an official ceremony on 30 November, attended by Bremen’s Environment Minister, Dr. Joachim Lohse. The second turbine is also expected to be operational before the end of the year, following an initial test phase.
The Weser project was said to be a major technical challenge and a milestone for Enercon in the development of hydropower plants. The plant is currently Europe’s most modern and largest tide-dependent run-of-the-river power plant. Built largely underground, the project features two Enercon-developed S-pipe turbines, each measuring 4.5m in diameter.