Thyssengas GmbH, one of Germany’s leading natural gas transmission system operators, headquartered in Dortmund, has commissioned ENGIE Deutschland to modernise all electrical and control and measurement technology at its Hünxe site. This is a comprehensive refurbishment, as Kathrin Schaefer, project manager at Thyssengas, explains: “Thyssengas’s aim is to upgrade our Hünxe compressor station to the best available, proven technology. The project is a high priority for us, as our compressor station makes a vital contribution to security of supply. In implementing this, we are relying on our long-standing, proven partnership with ENGIE Deutschland.”
The systems at the Hünxe compressor station are complex: there are a total of three machine units on site. Two of these each consist of a natural gas-powered turbo compressor, whilst the third unit is driven by an electrically powered turbo compressor. The process control system acts as the link between the individual components located on the station’s periphery and maps the necessary process engineering procedures using software. Furthermore, it ensures full automation and guarantees the safety monitoring of the process engineering operations.
Technical expertise at the highest level
The team of experts at ENGIE Germany is familiar with these highly complex conditions thanks to their many years of on-site support – and, in addition to their in-depth knowledge of the site, they bring the technical expertise required for the comprehensive refurbishment of the Hünxe compressor station. Matthias Walters, Head of Control Systems and responsible for the project at ENGIE Germany, comments: “The entire ENGIE team from Power Solutions and SPS (Secure Power Systems) is proud that we are able to support Thyssengas as the main contractor for the overall Hünxe project, and we will contribute our comprehensive expertise to the modernisation. In doing so, we are helping to ensure the reliable availability of this critical infrastructure for the future.” Preparatory work is currently underway, and the station is expected to be taken completely out of service for modernisation from April 2026. During this tight timeframe, up to 100 specialists will be working simultaneously on site, including not only the ENGIE team but also numerous partners and subcontractors from the region. All electrical components in the station, as well as the entire process control system, will be renewed. Furthermore, ENGIE Germany is responsible for the complete replacement of the electrical and measurement/control technology – in total, more than 73 kilometres of cable will be laid, around 100 new control cabinets supplied, and all field devices (sensors and actuators) replaced. All modernisation work must be completed by the start of the next heating season on 31 October 2026: from this date, regular gas transmission will resume, and thanks to ENGIE Deutschland, the Hünxe compressor station will be optimally equipped for the future with state-of-the-art E/MSR technology and comprehensive plant protection.
To the press release
Ready for the future: ENGIE Germany modernises the Thyssengas compressor station in Hünxe
Thyssengas GmbH and ENGIE Deutschland GmbH are carrying out a joint modernisation project at the natural gas compressor station in Hünxe, North Rhine-Westphalia. As the main contractor, ENGIE Deutschland is responsible for the comprehensive modernisation of the electrical and instrumentation/control system, bringing it up to the latest technical standards. Thyssengas and ENGIE Deutschland are thus expanding their long-standing successful partnership.
