Centrale de Rateau Schneider
THE ABANDONED POWER PLANT IN FRANCE
Explore the forgotten marvel of ‘Centrale de Rateau Schneider’, an abandoned power plant nestled in France’s landscape. Erected in 1958 near a bustling coal mine, this plant expanded its horizons in the 1970s, only to meet its demise in 2015.
Upon its inauguration on January 14, 1958, this coal-fired powerhouse boasted two turbines crafted by ‘Cie Electro-Mecanique’. However, September 1970 marked a significant milestone with the integration of a Rateau-Schneider generator set. The set elevated its capacity to a staggering half a gigawatt.
As time waltzed on, the original turbines bid adieu in the early 1990s, paving the way for newer technologies. The custodian of this site was the SNET, or ‘National Electricity and Thermal Company.’ A pivotal juncture arrived in June 2008 when SNET transitioned into a subsidiary of the esteemed German E.ON Group, named after the ancient Greek word aion, symbolizing age and eternity. Today, E.ON operates in over 30 nations, serving a vast clientele of over 50 million.
In 2011, a paradigm shift ensued when the new proprietors announced the closure of five aging coal-fired plants by 2013, citing soaring coal prices and the outdated infrastructure’s inability to meet modern pollution standards. Among the casualties was Centrale de Rateau Schneider, claiming 86 jobs from its workforce of 535.
The curtains finally closed on the Rateau-Schneider set in 2015, marking the end of an era. However, amidst the ashes of closure, a silver lining emerged in the form of voluntary departure schemes and internal realignments for the displaced employees.
In 2019, I embarked on a journey to explore this industrial relic firsthand. Join me in uncovering more tales of abandoned power plants by following this link.
