A tender for the preparation of a feasibility study for the construction of flue gas desulfurization facilities for both units of its coal-fired thermal power plant Kostolac A, as well as the construction of a wastewater treatment facility was launched by Serbian state-owned power utility EPS.
Deadline for bids submission is 16 November.
The goal is to extend the operational life of TPP Kostolac A by additional 15 years, namely to 2038.
TPP Kostolac was forced to reduce harmful emissions in order to continue operating, due to obligations taken by signing the Energy Community Treaty.
In 2017, EPS changed its initial plan to close TPP Kostolac A in 2023-2025 period and decided to extend its operational life by additional 100,000 hours by installing the desulfurization equipment. The goal of the flue gas desulfurization facility is to reduce SO2 emissions below the limit defined in the EU regulations or below 130 mg per cubic meter. By signing the Energy Community Treaty, Serbia has committed itself to lowering the emissions from thermal power plants in line with the requirements of the EU Large Combustion Plants Directive (LCPD) and its legal successor, the EU Industrial Emissions Directive (IED). The operation of coal-fired TPPs is possible in the case of compliance with the LCPD by 1 January 2018 and with the IED until 1 January 2027 in the part related to the limits of SO2, NOx and particulate matter.
In July 2017, EPS completed the installation of desulfurization facilities at units B1 and B2 of TPP Kostolac B, in cooperation with China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC), which is also building the third unit at the plant. The construction of the two desulfurization facilities started in May 2014 and cost some 130.5 million dollars. However, many environmental organizations claim that the facility is not functioning properly or it is not turned on at all.
Kostolac TPP complex consists of two power plants – TPP Kostolac A (unit A1 and unit A2, 310 MW in total) and TPP Kostolac B (unit B1 and B2, 700 MW in total), including Drmno mine which supplies coal for all units.
