The first city power station of Ghent
The construction of an urban electricity plant in Ghent started in 1924. Two years later, two turbo alternators, with steam provided by steam boilers working on coal, supplied the first electricity.
The big art deco Turbine Hall - including all turbines & accessories, an overhead crane, the control and signal equipment, the clock and the control panels - is preserved. This Turbine Hall was protected by law on November 18th, 1999.
A district heating network was later added to the electricity plant. The finished steam was used to heat social housing and buildings in the neighbourhood.
In 1967 the electricity plant was extended with a new complex containing giant diesel engines - which then were said to be the largest in Europe.
In 1993 the old units were replaced by a CCGT (combined cycle gas turbine) unit that recycles any remaining steam via an underground hot water supply system and which is used to heat some hospitals, residential areas and other building complexes.
In 2006 two additional peak units were added on natural gas.