If temperatures fall particularly sharply in the next six weeks, Dresden will face an energy supply problem. Hospitals and industrial companies would also be affected.
The partial collapse of the Carola Bridge has significantly affected the district heating supply in Dresden. “At a temperature of 0 degrees Celsius, we will no longer be able to fully supply the Neustadt area with heat,” says Rutger Kretschmer from Sachsen-Energie. The effects would be serious: In addition to 36,000 residential units, the Diakonissen Hospital, the Neustädter Hospital and numerous industrial companies in the north of Dresden are also connected to the supply line.
To solve the problem, Sachsen-Energie is laying temporary district heating pipes on the Augustus Bridge. However, the work will last until mid-November. If the temperatures drop to zero degrees or less beforehand, the heating in Dresden can no longer be turned up to full capacity.
A look into the past shows that the scenario is not ruled out. According to timeanddate.de, there have been periods of zero or minus one degree in Dresden on five days in the past five years. If such an early cold snap occurs this year, hospitals would be provided with replacement supplies, Sachsen-Energie assures. Even in affected private households, the heating would not fail – it would just heat less strongly than desired.
The city of Dresden has already approved the construction plans. Initial construction preparations are underway on Theaterplatz. The pipes are scheduled to be delivered on October 7th. “And then we want to start building as quickly as possible so that we can put the lines into operation in mid-November,” says Rutger Kretschmer.
Two insulated lines for the supply and return of the district heating will be laid on the western footpath of the Augustus Bridge and connected to the existing distribution network. The actual construction time on the bridge is scheduled to be three weeks. Tram traffic should not be affected. “We try not to hinder bicycle traffic as much as possible,” says Rutger Kretschmer. The energy supplier will initially cover the construction costs of around 750,000 euros.
According to Sachsen-Energie, there is no alternative to relocation on the Augustus Bridge. According to Sachsen-Energie, other options, such as a temporary pipe bridge on the Carola Bridge or a second pressure pipeline under the Elbe, had to be rejected. They are either too risky or take too long.
