Bosnian state-owned power utility EPBiH said that due to the current situation with coalmines operated by the company and uncertain coal deliveries from Kreka coalmine, the continuation of production of electricity and heat at coal-fired thermal power plant Tuzla is under question.
Current reserves at unit 4 could cover two days of operation, which is why the company decided to shut down the unit. As a replacement for the provision of thermal energy, unit 3 with one boiler will be put into operation. The second boiler will be put into operation next week, when daily coal consumption would reach 2,500 tons, which could be obtained from coalmines Banovici and Stanari.
At the moment, TPP Tuzla’s unit 6 is the only one producing electricity. However, with no coal in stock, all produced quantities of coal are instantly consumed, so the slightest disruption in supply could halt the operation of the unit.
Situation is somewhat better at EPBiH’s other thermal power plant Kakanj, which has coal reserves for 15 days of operation.
Miners from seven coalmines operated by EPBiH were protesting in Sarajevo in the past few days. Yesterday, they agreed to stop the protests, but the operation of EPBiH’s coalmines is still suspended.