Belchatow power complex
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The Bełchatów Power Complex is a 5,420-megawatt (MW) lignite-fired power complex situated near Bełchatów in Łódź Voivodeship, Poland.[1] The complex is the largest power station in Europe[2] and one of the ten largest coal-fired power plants in the world.
Contents
Location
The undated satellite photo below shows the power station in Łódź Voivodeship.
Existing units
The Belchatow power station consists of the following units:
- Belchatow I, Units 1-12 (370 to 390 MW each) - 4562 MW total - built 1981-1988 and modernized 2007 to 2016[1][3]
- Belchatow II, Unit 1 - 858 MW - Operating 2011[4]
Background on Belchatow II
Note: Even though Belchatow Phase I includes 12 units, the first unit of Belchatow Phase II is numbered Belchatow Unit 14 by PGE.[5]
Belchatow II Unit 1 was proposed by Alstom and PGE Elektrownia Belchatow.[6][7]
Alstom Poland stated in October 2008 that the company signed a contract with the Polish utility BOT Elektrownia Belchatow SA to build what "will be the largest power plant ever built in the country ... The plant would generate 10% less CO2 on a per KWh basis than the typical coal plant in the region."[8]
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, which funded the project, stated on its website that "the project represents a major step in upgrading existing generating assets in Poland to ensure that they meet EU environmental legislation post 2008, notably requirements of the EU Large Combustion Plant and IPPC directives. The project is also an integral part of Polish governmental energy security program."[9]
In its December 2013 database of proposed coal plants, Platts described a second 858 MW unit at Belchatow II as "planned,"[10] however additional details are not available. With no news of the proposal, it appears to have been abandoned.
Proposed closure of Belchatow units 1 and 2
Belchatow SA, which was taken over by state-owned Polska Grupa Energetyczna (PGE) in 2007, agreed to close down units 1 and 2 of the Belchatow I plant by the end of 2015, in exchange for a cash injection for Belchatow II. However, in February 2015 the European Commission said it would allow PGE to continue operating the two units. Under Poland's Transitional National Plan, PGE wants to keep running the units beyond 2020.[11]
In October 2018 PGE said it will close unit 1 of the power station by June 2019 due to environmental reasons.[12]
Carbon Capture and Storage project
Alstom and PGE Elektrownia Belchatow S.A. have announced plans to develop a carbon capture and storage plant at the existing Belchatow power station in Poland. In their 2008 announcement Alsom stated that the "second phase" of the project would be to build a larger CCS plant to capture CO2 produced by Belchatow II Power Station.[13]
The CCS project was cancelled in 2013 due to lack of funding.[14]
Project Details of Belchatow II
- Sponsor: PGE GiEK
- Parent company: Polska Groupa Energetyczna
- Developer:
- Location: Rogowiec, Gmina Kleszczów, Bełchatów county, Łódzkie
- Coordinates: 51.266389, 19.330556 (exact)
- Status: Operating[5]
- Capacity: 858 MW
- Type:
- Start date: 2011
- Coal Type: Lignite
- Coal Source:
- Source of financing:
Resources and articles
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Moc osiągalna w Elektrowni Bełchatów wzrosła do 5 420 MW," PGE, accessed 2017-12-10
- ↑ "Bełchatów Power Station," Wikipedia, accessed May 2014
- ↑ "Belchatow Coal Power Plant Poland," Global Energy Observatory, accessed May 2014.
- ↑ "Belchatow II Coal Power Plant Poland," Global Energy Observatory, accessed May 2014
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "FY 2011 Results," PGE, March 14, 2012, Slide #11
- ↑ Alstom, "Alstom to supply the largest clean coal power plant ever built in Poland", Alstom website, October 16, 2006.
- ↑ Alstom, "Belchatow", Alstom website, accessed July 2008.
- ↑ Alstom, "ALSTOM in Poland: A highly promising market", Alstom website, undated, accessed July 2008.
- ↑ European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Belchatow II: Environmental Impact Assessment, August 2005.
- ↑ "World Electric Power Plants Database,", Platts, December 2013. The database is not available online but can be purchased from Platts.
- ↑ " EU extends life of Europe's biggest polluter while IPCC calls for coal phase out," CAN, accessed March 2015
- ↑ "PGE to close 370 MW lignite unit Belchatow 1 by June," Montel News, Oct 16, 2018
- ↑ Alstom, "Alstom teams up with PGE Elektrownia Belchatow to reduce CO2 output in Poland", Media Release, December 8, 2008.
- ↑ "Belchatow Fact Sheet: Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage Project," CCS Tech, Jan 5, 2015
Related SourceWatch Articles
- Poland and coal
- Carbon Capture and Storage
- Carbon Capture and Storage in Europe
- Carbon Capture and Storage demonstration projects worldwide
- Europe and coal
- Poland and coal
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