History of the Company

Beginnings

In the years 1896-1897, the design works led to the conclusion that the best location for it would be the grounds near Odra River, at the current Łowiecka Street (Schutzen Strasse). The city authorities purchased the land in question from the Association of Hunters, and started the construction of a new heat and power plant (the old one was located at Mennicza Street). The works started in the year 1900, and already on July 8, 1901 to the inhabitants of Wrocław provided was the first electric power and heat. In the beginning, Elektrownia Wrocław generated the power of 6 170 kW, and that was enough for the needs of Wrocław. With a fast increase of demand for electric power, around the year 1930 the plant was modernised and thanks to that it was able to produce 57 MW. In the beginning of the 1940s, some of the equipment failed reducting the plant’s capacity to 44 MW.

War

Up to the year 1945, Wrocław was a safe city far away from the front lines. It was first bombarded only in January 1945. Its siege by the Soviet army started February 16, 1945. They attacked Wrocław from the west and south. A lot of its industrial infrastructure was destroyed as a result of heavy fighting, i.e.:

• 60% of power stations
• 70% of distribution network
• 25% of water power plants
• 100% of lighting installations

As a result of fighting Elektrownia Wrocław was also badly damaged. Some 60% of its equipment were completely destroyed, damaged were its smokestacks and the network of steam and water pipes. The war losses were so big that the plant’s capacity was reduced to 3 MW, constituting only a fraction of its pre-war capacity.

New reality

After the WW II, the plant was quickly rebuilt. In July 1945, the city authorities took over its supervision. In 1946, started the actual rebuilding. First, repaired was the smokestack No. 1 of the height of 76 m, next, rebuilt from its foundations was the smokestack No. 2 of the height of 83 m, and in 1947, the smokestack No. 3 of the height of 82,5 m. In the 1950s modernised were its individual elements converting the power station into a heat and power station. The first heat reached the customers via a new main in December 1959. A growing demand for thermal power lead to the construction of a new heat and power plant. Its design was approved for construction at the end of the 1960s, and it was divided into three stages.

The first stage covers the years 1967-72. In that time, built were two water boilers of thermal capacity of 81 MW each, a thermal unit with pumps and the reserve and start-up heat exchanger, a wharf for the unloading of coal from barges, coal yard and reinforced concrete smokestack of the height of 120 m, stations for water conditioning, combustion waste yard in Kamień, and electric station and building with auxiliary equipment.

The second stage covers the years 1972-76. During these years, commissioned were two water boilers of the thermal capacity of 140 MW each, the second line of coal conveyors, reinforced concrete smokestack of the height of 180 m, installations and auxiliary equipment.

The third stage of development was to comprise several tasks. Some of these tasks were completed, i.e. constructed was a water boiler of the capacity of 140 MW and two thermal units. That increased the plant’s thermal capacity to 1154 MW and electric capacity to 259 MW.

In the 1990s the plant was modernised having in mind the environmental protection, and adopted to the standards in force in the EU and equipped with advanced computers.

Great flooding and privatisation

In July 1997, the heat and power plants, just like much of Wrocław, were affected by a big flood. The level of waters of Odra River rose to 116,8 m above sea level. Despite dedicated work of regular people and its employees the plant was flooded. The damages, though, were quickly repaired, and thanks to the help from the specialists of the Polish power industry it regained its capacity in a short time.

Thanks to that and the consent of Minister of State Treasury, the process of its privatisation gathered speed. On September 26, 1999, the newly created company took the name of Zespół Elektrociepłowni Wrocławskich KOGENERACJA S.A. The first issuance of shares took place in March 2000, and on May 26, 2000, the company debuted on the Warsaw Securities Exchange.