Croatia: TPP Plomin C is not in conflict with climate policies claim from HEP Power utility

Published on 29. October 2014., SEE Energy News

State owned power utility HEP published its reaction at NGO Environment action campaign against HEP TPP Plomin project “aimed to pressure the Government to give up on the construction of coal-fired thermal power plant Plomin C”.

In order to considerate the objective picture of the impact of the future replacement unit at the location of TPP Plomin (TPP Plomin C), HEP emphasizes in its statement the need to take into account some data. The first is that Croatia has CO2 emissions per capita figure about 30 percent lower than the EU average. Sector for electricity production in Croatia has significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions than the EU average, mainly due to the high share of hydropower plants. As another very important fact HEP states that CO2 emissions on a global level of greenhouse gas emissions (and climate changes induced by greenhouse gas emissions are a global problem) will be increase only about 0,007 percent by TPP Plomin C joining. Third, by the project design and the Study of the environmental impact, space for the subsequent facility construction for CO2 capture and storage (CCS) has been reserved at the location of TPP Plomin, which can reduce CO2 emissions by 90 to 95 percent.

“The fact is that the HEP thermal power plants are mostly obsoleted, that have low efficiency and relatively high GHG emissions per unit of produced electricity. They are in line with the strategic development guidelines, gradually replaced by new highly efficient production units. In this way, it would be reduced specific greenhouse gas emissions per unit of electricity generated from thermal power plants in Croatia. Project of TPP Plomin C should be viewed in this context, and in this sense it is the responsible project to the environment, European regulations and global agreements”, it is concluded in HEP’s statement.