In the EU, the concentrations of gases emissions from large combustion plants are regulated by the Large Combustion Plants Directive (LCPD), which will be replaced by the stricter Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) as of 1st January 2016. The LCPD refers to the thermal power facilities the capacity of which is higher than 50 MW and it prescribes the limit concentrations of sulphur dioxide (400 mg/m3), nitrogen oxides (200 mg/m3) and suspended particles (50 mg/m3).
The IED integrates the LCPD and six other directives, among them the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC).
The electric power systems in the region rely on coal to a large extent and, with the aim of implementing these directives, the systems for desulphurization and denitrification, as well as electro-filters, should be installed in new thermal power plants and in those that will be revitalized.
By the decision of the Energy Community Ministerial Council dated October 2013, the LCPD implementation has been postponed until 1st January 2024. In this way, the situation has been avoided in which energy security would be jeopardized by the closing down of thermal power facilities with the capacity below 300 MW for which replacement capacities have not been provided and there is no economic justification for applying the expensive measures for reducing emissions. There would also be a problem for the plants in which the environmental protection activities cannot be concluded within the originally set deadline – 1st January 2018.
With the aim of the LCPD implementation, the Serbian energy company Elektroprivreda EPS is implementing or planning projects the total worth of which is 625 million euros.
The most important project of the EPS is desulphurization in TPP Nikola Tesla A, worth 170 million euros. The funds have been provided by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency JICA. The first phase of the project includes the construction of desulphurization plants for the blocks A3 and A4, and the second phase for the blocks A5 and A6.
After the conclusion of this most expensive environmental project in the region, the concentrations of sulphur-dioxide will be reduced below 200 mg/m3, which means that the limit values prescribed by the IED will be satisfied simultaneously. The project was planed be finished in 2017, but it is uncertain when the contract will be signed with the contractor, which was announced for February this year. In the tender for choosing the contractor, three bidders passed prequalification phase–Japanese consortium Mitsubishi-Hitachi, Austrian Andritz and German-Japanese company SBENGI.
The value of the project of desulphurization in TPPNT B has been estimated at around 110 million euros. The tender for choosing the contractor is being prepared.
The desulphurization in the TPP Kostolac will be carried out within the Chinese loan. The investment is worth 96 million euros and the project should be finished at the end of this year. , transmits Serbia-energy.eu
