Serbia’s state-owned power utility, EPS, has requested the relevant Ministry to define the scope and content of an environmental impact assessment (EIA) study for the construction of a co-incineration facility for alternative fuel at the Nikola Tesla A thermal power plant (TENT A). The facility will be built on units A3, A4, and A5, with the project documentation based on a plant concept designed by Dornier Power and Heat for waste incineration at these units.
The primary goal of the co-incineration project is to increase electricity production. As a supplementary fuel, an alternative fuel with a similar composition and higher calorific value than lignite from the Kolubara coal basin will be used. This alternative fuel, produced from unrecycled municipal waste, will contribute to coal savings and environmental protection. Although lignite from the Kolubara basin will remain the primary fuel, the alternative fuel’s comparable calorific value allows for an efficient energy mix. By replacing 3% of lignite with alternative fuel, 5% more thermal energy can be generated. This will also reduce coal mining activities in the Kolubara basin, which are a significant source of environmental pollution.
The co-incineration facility will be located on the existing TENT A site, adjacent to the A3, A4, and A5 boiler units, creating an integrated technological system. The facility is planned to operate continuously throughout the year.
At full capacity, boilers A3, A4, and A5 will require 1,217 tons of coal per hour and 37.6 tons of alternative fuel per hour. Over the course of a year with 8,000 operating hours, the project will use around 300,000 tons of alternative fuel, while annual coal consumption will total 10.6 million tons.
The project will involve transporting alternative fuel by truck, building a reception and storage facility, and integrating the fuel into the existing fuel system. The alternative fuel, mostly derived from non-hazardous, non-recyclable municipal waste, will help reduce the use of landfill resources. The main materials in the fuel include combustible waste, mechanically separated residues from paper and cardboard pulp production, plastics, rubber, and plastic packaging.
While the alternative fuel is not classified as hazardous, toxic, or environmentally dangerous, the project includes measures to prevent, reduce, and mitigate any significant environmental impacts.
