The Rostock coal-fired power plant is located directly on the Baltic Sea coast. As a result, it is exposed to high moisture levels, fluctuating temperatures, and salt-laden air. These are challenging conditions for a concrete structure. The project involved the step-by-step rehabilitation of the load-bearing reinforced concrete columns of the plant’s cooling tower. The operator is KNG Kraftwerks- und Netzgesellschaft mbH.

Challenge: heavily chloride-contaminated reinforced concrete components

The greatest challenge was dealing with heavily chloride-contaminated reinforced concrete components. Conventional repair methods would have required extensive concrete removal, longer downtime, and significant maintenance effort. In addition, disruption to ongoing power plant operations had to be kept to a minimum. What was needed, therefore, was a durable, low-maintenance, and technically reliable solution capable of sustainably reducing further corrosion progress to a minimum.

MC proposed the use of the MC-KKS/B system, a cathodic corrosion protection solution for heavily stressed reinforced concrete components that MC-Bauchemie developed together with Grillo Werke AG. The decisive factor in selecting this system was its self-regulating operating principle, as it does not require readjustment of the protective current and provides permanent protection for the reinforcement against further corrosion. Following comprehensive structural investigations carried out as early as 2012, which revealed high chloride contamination and ongoing reinforcement corrosion, the operator created a test area together with specialist partners in 2016 on a column of around 40 m² in order to observe the MC-KKS/B protection system under real-life conditions. After the successful test phase, the rehabilitation of six columns began in 2022, followed by another six in 2025. Further columns are scheduled to be rehabilitated using the MC-KKS/B system during the current year.