VEB Kombinat Kraftwerksanlagenbau

About the Combine

The VEB Kombinat Kraftwerksanlagenbau was a people-owned combine in the GDR founded in 1969 and headquartered in Berlin, subordinate to the Ministry for Coal and Energy. Its scope of activities comprised the planning and design of large power plants as well as the manufacture of power plant components and sub-systems. The combine conceived nuclear energy programmes, handled site selection for nuclear power plants, developed construction technologies and coordinated the development, design, manufacture and testing of equipment for the production of fuel elements. Further tasks included assembly and commissioning of auxiliary systems of the primary circuit, equipment for the secondary circuit as well as water treatment and supply, transmission lines and transport routes. From 1976 the combine coordinated the expansion of the Greifswald nuclear power plant, units 5 and 6. In 1990 the combine was dissolved in the course of the peaceful revolution; the plant engineering sector became part of Kraftwerks- und Anlagenbau AG, which was sold by the Treuhandanstalt in 1992 and privatised again in 1994.

Site

Berlin

Processes

Planning and design of large power plants, Manufacture of power plant components and sub-systems, Conception of nuclear energy programmes, Site selection for nuclear power plants, Development of construction technologies, Assembly and commissioning of auxiliary systems of the primary circuit, Equipment for the secondary circuit, Water treatment and supply

Materials

Planning and design of large power plants

Founded

1969

Industries

Power plant engineering, Nuclear energy, Energy sector

1. 01

   Conception of nuclear energy programmes

2. 02

   Site selection for nuclear power plants

3. 03

   Planning and design of large power plants

4. 04

   Development and design of equipment

5. 05

   Manufacture of power plant components and sub-systems

6. 06

   Assembly and commissioning

Fields of Activity and Services

Combine Enterprises

History

1. 1950er

   Foundation of the VEB Atomkraftwerk (VEB AKW) for the development, planning and construction of nuclear power plants; it was subordinate to the Office for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Technology (AKK).

2. 1955

   Release of nuclear research for the GDR by the Soviet Union; foundation of the AKK, the Scientific Council for the Peaceful Use of Atomic Energy and the Central Institute for Nuclear Physics Rossendorf

3. 1963

   Berlin Pankow branch of the VEB Atomkraftwerk

4. 1964–1966

   Dispute between VEB AKW and ZfK Rossendorf over the orientation of nuclear power use (pressurised water reactor vs. fast breeder)

5. 1969

   Merger of VEB Kraftwerksbau Radebeul, VEB Kernkraftwerksbau Berlin, VEB Energieprojektierung Berlin and VEB WTZ Kraftwerksanlagenbau Pirna to form the VEB Kombinat Kraftwerksanlagenbau Berlin

6. 1976

   Coordination of the expansion of the Greifswald nuclear power plant, units 5 and 6

7. 1978

   After the dissolution of the VVB, the company bears the name 'Kombinat Kraftwerksanlagenbau' from July 1978

8. 1990

   Dissolution of the combine in the course of the peaceful revolution; foundation of Kraftwerks- und Anlagenbau AG (KAB), which took over the plant engineering sector

9. 1992

   Sale of KAB AG by the Treuhandanstalt to Kaneb-Furmanite (USA)

10. 1994

    Rescission of the sale in early 1994; renewed privatisation