thumb|Bełchatów Power Station view at the top

thumb|Bełchatów Power Plant

Bełchatów Power Station is a coal-fired power station near Bełchatów, Poland. It is Europe's largest coal-fired power station as well as the most toxic one. The power station is owned and operated by PGE GiEK Oddział Elektrownia Bełchatów, a subsidiary of Polska Grupa Energetyczna.

In 2011, a new 858&nbsp;MW unit was commissioned. increasing the station's total capacity to 5,053&nbsp;MW. The new unit has an efficiency rating of approximately 42%, contributed to reduction of both fuel consumption and emissions compared to the older units. The unit has been built by Alstom. Alstom also has modernized the low pressure parts in all 12&nbsp;turbines and, in 2009, PGE and Alstom signed a contract to modernise unit 6. it produces NO<sub>2</sub> and is the country’s largest NO<sub>x</sub> emitter.

Carbon dioxide emissions

Bełchatów is the fifth largest coal-fired power plant in the world. According to estimates, in 2018, it emitted 37.6 million tons of carbon dioxide, more than any other power station, with relative emissions estimated at 1.756&nbsp;kg per kWh. The plant releases more carbon dioxide each year than the entirety of Switzerland.

In order to reduce CO<sub>2</sub> emissions, PGE sought to introduce carbon capture and storage technology. In 2008, it signed a memorandum of understanding with Alstom, according to which Alstom would design and construct a pilot carbon capture plant at Unit 12 by mid-2011. A larger carbon capture plant was to be integrated with the new 858&nbsp;MW unit by 2015. The project failed to receive a European Commission grant for €180&nbsp;million from the European Energy Programme for Recovery, and was cancelled in 2013.

Future

In September 2020, the District Court in Łódź ordered settlement talks between PGE GiEK and ClientEarth regarding the reduction of the environmental and climate impact of the Bełchatów Power Plant.

On October 19, 2020, PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna published the Group's new strategy for the decade running up to 2030 with an outlook to 2050. The company presented the Group's transition and decarbonisation plan and announced the goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050.

The PGE project "Just transformation of the Bełchatów complex" initially consists of photovoltaic farms, wind farms, and a thermal waste treatment installation with energy recovery; it would be the first stage in the process of regional transition towards carbon neutrality.

In June 2021, local authorities published a plan for public consultation that would see the plant decommissioned by 2036, with support from the Just Transition fund.

See also

  • List of power stations in Poland
  • List of largest power stations
  • List of least carbon efficient power stations
  • List of coal power stations

References

  • Bełchatów Unit 1–6, skyscraperpage.com.
  • Bełchatów Unit 7–12, skyscraperpage.com.