Power Plant [Urbex Blog]

The power plant was built in 1930 to supply electricity to the coal mines in the area. From one of the mines a conveyor then led directly to the power station's storage bunkers so it was a very smooth operation. 

Today, the mines have long since closed and all that remains of the plant is a concrete skeleton. But it is majestic and resembles a cathedral in a way.

In many places, healthy greenery is growing from sites contaminated by coal dust and other more or less toxic substances. 

Most of the interior catwalks were of metal construction, so they were stolen long ago. I don't know how prevalent this phenomenon is in the west but here a thief is willing to risk his life and invest hours and hours of hard manual labor into a few kilograms of cut railings and ripped cables which he then sells instead of, well... working for a living.

The outlets of the coal bunkers were located in such a way that cutting them without heavy equipment is impossible. That's probably why they're still there.

One more view of the main hall where the boilers used to be. In the bottom centre you can see the outlet to the chimney. I've been in there too, but there was just a thick layer of dust and a dead stork. 

One more view of the coal bunker outlets.

Corridor on the top floor above the coal bunkers. The conveyor that carried coal from the mine led to this floor. 

The floor was full of fine coal dust, which lingers here even thirty years after the plant was shut down. Immediately after I stirred it up - just by walking through it - it became visible in the afternoon sun shining through the broken windows. 

The power station was decommissioned in 1986 and there are currently plans to rebuild it as a community centre or for other community uses, but I think this is totally unrealistic. The money it would take to restore such a large and devastated - and contaminated - space is beyond the means of private individuals and municipalities in the area.