Florina (Meliti) Power Station
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Florina Power Station, also known as the Meliti power station, is a 330-megawatt (MW) coal-fired power plant located in Greece.
A second unit of 450 MW has been proposed.
Contents
Location
The undated satellite photo below shows the power station in Dytiki Macedonia, Florina.
Background
Florina power station is a one-unit coal-fired power plant with a total capacity of 330 MW. The supercritical plant is owned by Public Power Corporation S.A. and began operation in 2003. It is powered by lignite coal.[1][2]
Expansion
A second unit of 440 MW has been proposed, with an estimated operation date of 2021.[3][4]
In April 2014 a bill was submitted to spin off and partially privatize PPC under a plan agreed to with the country’s EU/IMF lenders. According to the plan, 30% of PPC’s units and mines would be transferred to the new company, including Meliti I and the license for Meliti II.[5] However in February 2015 the new Greek government said it would not privatize PPC.[6]
In February 2016, PPC said it will seek to develop Meliti II as a joint venture with a European partner, who would together construct the plant and operate it as well as the region’s coal mines. The prospective plant has a budget of 750 million euros.[7] However, according to CAN Europe, while the proposal has a production permit there has been no discussion on an environmental permit, and the project is effectively on hold while PPC focuses on Ptolemaida V Power Station.[8]
In August 2016 PPC announced that it will sign an MoU with China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) for the construction of a second lignite-fired unit at its Meliti station. PPC estimates the new unit will cost 700 million euros, while investments in a nearby lignite pit to mine coal for the unit would raise the total investment to more than one billion euros.[9] The MoU for a 450 MW unit was signed in September 2016. PPC is believed to be open to the prospect of becoming a junior partner with CMEC in this venture.[10]
However, in April 2017 it was reported that China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) "appears to have decided to put on hold the prospect of developing and acquiring majority control of Meliti II," due to concerns over reliability of mining and plant ownership rights.[11]
On April 6, 2018, the environmental permit for Meliti II was renewed, along with the permit renewal of the existing unit Meliti I. The new permit will be valid until 2028.[12]
WWF Greece, Greenpeace Greece, and ClientEarth are seeking to annul the environmental permit for Meliti I and II, saying the Greek state granted the new permit despite no new EIA having been conducted since the original one expired in 2009, before updated regulations were implemented, and without consideration of climate change. The court date for this case is March 2019.[13]
Ownership
In April 2018 Greece agreed with its lenders to sell 40 percent of the coal-fired capacity of PPC, which is majority state-controlled. The 330 MW Meliti Power Station and the license for the second 450 MW unit will be sold, along with two units in southern Greece. Under bailout terms, PPC should launch an international tender for a buyer at the end of May 2018.[14]
Project Details of expansion
- Sponsor: Public Power Corp. (PPC)
- Parent company:
- Developer:
- Location: Florina, West Macedonia, Greece
- Coordinates: 40.8114,21.6014 (exact)
- Status: Pre-permit development
- Capacity: 450 MW
- Type:
- Start date:
- Coal Type: Lignite
- Coal Source: Domestic
- Source of financing:
Articles and Resources
Sources
- ↑ "Florina Coal Power Plant" Industry About, accessed November 21, 2012.
- ↑ "Lignite-Fired Plants in Greece," Industcards, accessed April 2016
- ↑ "Ptolemaida 5 and Meliti 2 Economic viability report of the new lignite units," WWF Briefing report, July 2013.
- ↑ "How Germany's development bank will fund a giant lignite plant in Greece," Energy Desk, March 24, 2014
- ↑ "PPC Breakup Bill Submitted to Greek Parliament," Energia, April 01, 2014
- ↑ "Greece's radical new government is already splitting over privatisations," Business Insider Australia, Feb. 25, 2015
- ↑ "European partner possible for new PPC Meliti power plant, boss says," Energy Press, 2/15/2016
- ↑ Personal communication with CAN Europe, January 2016
- ↑ "PPC to sign MoU with China's CMEC for second lignite-fired unit in NW Greece," naftemporiki, Aug 31, 2016
- ↑ "PPC, China’s CMEC sign MOU for new power station," Energy Press, 14/09/2016
- ↑ "CMEC, fearing developments, places Meliti II plan on hold," Energy Press, Apr 28, 2017
- ↑ "απόφασή," διαυγεια, April 6, 2018
- ↑ "Sister power plants in Greece face court challenge for disregarding people and planet," Client Earth, 15 October 2018
- ↑ "Greek MPs allow power plant sales, govt says not selling family silver," Reuters, April 25, 2018
