Environmental
protection has been one of our top three priorities and since 2014 until today,
the Government of Serbia has invested approximately 600 million EUR in
ecological plants in order to ensure cleaner air - said Ana Brnabić, Prime
Minister of Serbia, during her visit to the thermal power plant "Kostolac
B", which is one of the most important thermal capacities of Electric
Power Industry of Serbia.
In addition to
Prime Minister of Serbia, flue gas desulfurization plant was also visited by
Prof. Dr. Zorana Mihajlović, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Mining and
Energy, Irena Vujović, Minister of Environmental Protection and Milorad Grčić,
acting director of EPS. Flue gas desulfurization plant in TPP "Kostolac
B" has been completed and is operating at full capacity. It is one of the
most important environmental projects not only in EPS, but in entire Republic
of Serbia. The value of the investment is USD 130.5 million.
- The
construction of desulfurization plants in thermal power plants TENT A and TENT
B is in progress - said Ana Brnabić, Prime Minister of Serbia.
She pointed out
that the Serbian Parliament adopted the Law on Climate Change in March, as the
first systemic law dealing with ecology, which is an important topic.
- Emissions of
harmful substances are lower here than in the EU and are at the level defined
by the Energy Community. This desulfurization plant is an example of the
attitude Government of Serbia has when it comes to environmental protection and
energy - said prof. Dr. Zorana Mihajlović, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister
of Mining and Energy. - Our goal is to have a "green Serbia" and a
"green energy" through the cooperation of the Ministry of
Environmental Protection and Ministry of Mining and Energy. Four new laws in
the energy sector have been adopted, the National Energy and Climate Plan is
under way, as well as the Strategy for Energy Development until 2030 and 2050,
and we are doing all this with the goal of having at least 40 percent of
"green energy" produced by 2040 from renewable sources.
Irena Vujović,
the Minister of Environmental Protection, stated that in the fight against air
pollution, plants such as this one in Kostolac make a significant contribution,
as the reduction of the sulfur dioxide levels and particulate matter is remarkable.
The plant in
Kostolac is made according to all EU standards and is granted every necessary
approval from the Ministry of Environmental Protection.
- Construction
of the flue gas desulfurization plant in TPP "Kostolac B" has been
successfully completed and trial run is in progress. We are waiting for an
operation permit, which will be issued by October - said Miroslav Tomašević,
director of the Department for the Realization of new facilities of TPP, HPP
and RES. - It is crucial that the plant works at full capacity, as well as to
achieve the limit values of SO2 emissions defined by the law of the
Republic of Serbia and the latest EU regulations. Particulate matter is at
levels lower than the legal limit.
The
desulfurization plant uses the method of wet limestone, on the basis of which
the limestone suspension in the absorbers is dispersed and brought into contact
with the flue gases, where the process of absorption removes SO2
from the flue gas. The result of the reaction is gypsum formation, which is
then shipped to the gypsum landfill or delivered to the market as an excellent
raw material for construction. This plant is expected to produce approximately
450,000 tons of gypsum per year, and contracts have already been signed for the
purchase of 125,000 tons of gypsum.
