Moorburg celebrates 650 years – but the future is in the balance!

Moorburg celebrates 650 years – but the future is in the balance!

There are reasons to celebrate in Hamburg-Moorburg: The district, one of the oldest in the Hanseatic city, is celebrating its 650th anniversary with a spectacular service and a lively community festival last weekend. Bishop Kirsten Fehrs led the service and celebrations continue throughout the year, underscoring the residents' close ties to their neighborhood. But despite the festive atmosphere, Moorburg faces major challenges.

In recent years, the construction and subsequent demolition of the Moorburg coal-fired power plant has made headlines. The double block system with an output of 2 x 800 MW was put into operation in 2015 and generated a total of 34,288 TWh of electricity by the end of 2020, but times have changed. The plant's overall structure reportedly includes a number of environmental regulations that the EU has found to be flawed. Vattenfall, the original operator, sold the system to Hamburger Energiewerke in 2023, which represents another turning point in Moorburg's history. The dismantling of the power plant will be pushed forward from 2025, with hydrogen production planned from 2027, which could open up new perspectives.

The threat to the district

But the focus is not just on the power plant. The district itself is still designated as a port expansion area, which puts numerous buildings, including listed buildings, at risk. Mayor Gudrun Schittek from the Green Party has raised her voice and advocated for Moorburg to be excluded from these expansion plans. However, there are doubts among the population about the need to expand the port in the southern Elbe area.

However, Moorburg's continued existence is still secured thanks to its ten-year existence. This became clear during the celebrations and given the existing plans to redevelop the area. The dismantling of the coal-fired power plant is also part of these measures in order to create space for future-proof uses, particularly in the area of ​​the green hydrogen economy.

The look forward

The hydrogen production project at the site could herald a long overdue turnaround in Moorburg's energy policy. Substantial funding from federal and state funds amounting to 154.1 million euros will be provided for the planned electrolysis plant with an initial output of 100 MW, which will later be expanded to 800 MW. This could not only support the local energy transition, but also create new jobs and promote the decarbonization of industry.

Moorburg therefore stands between the celebrations of its 650th anniversary and the challenge of becoming a symbolically secure place for transformation. So that wasn't the last word to be heard - what the coming years bring for Moorburg remains exciting!