TPP Kostolac is a coal fired thermal power plant complex operated by Elektroprivreda Srbije, located on the right bank of Danube river, in Kostolac, Požarevac. It is the second largest power plant in Serbia after TPP Nikola Tesla. Within the complex, there are 4 operational units as of October 2020. It makes around 10% of the total available capacity of the electric power system of Serbia and almost 11 percent of the total electric power production in EPS's (Elektroprivreda Srbije) system.
History
The complex has 4 operational units, grouped in Kostolac A and Kostolac B. Kostolac A consists of one 100 MW unit and one 210 MW unit, commissioned in 1967 and 1980, respectively. Kostolac B comprises two 350 MW units (total of 700 MW), B1 and B2, commissioned in 1987 and 1991.
In addition to electric power, TPP "Kostolac A" produces heating energy for heating of Kostolac and Požarevac.
Kostolac B3 planned
Also, additional Kostolac B3 unit is planned with installed capacity of 350
Megawatt. For the purposes of running the new plant, expansion of an
Open-pit mining Drmno from 9 to 12 tons of
coal annually is planned.
[ Potpisan ugovor o izgradnji novog bloka TE “Kostolac“ Ministarstvo rudarstva i energetike, November 20, 2013. Retrieved on 2014-30-07.][ Serbia: Ambitious energy investment plan, JV and PPP with foreign partners in new TPP and HPP, the report Serbia Energy, January 1, 2014. Retrieved on 2014-30-07.] There are already existing units Kostolac A1, A2, B1 and B2 and
Drmno and Cirikovac open cast mines at the site.
On 20 November 2013, Elektroprivreda Srbije, "Tеrmoеlеktranе i kopovi" Kostolac and Chinese corporation CMEC signed an agreement on construction. Authorities announced that the construction of the power plant is expected to begin by the end of 2014 and to be finished by 2019. Together with the existing blocks B1 and B2 the new plan will satisfy about 20% of Serbia's electricity needs. Zhang Chun, president and CEO of CMEC said that the new thermal power plant will have a positive impact on the environment, because it will comply with the Air pollution requirements of the European Union scheduled for 2018.
The project depends on financing from the China Exim Bank and unnamed , and on a state guarantee from the Government of Serbia for these . The 2014 Serbian state budget allocates two guarantees for the project – US$107 million for unnamed and US$608 million for the China Exim Bank.[Gallop, Pippa. Serbian government props up almighty coal Bankwatch, July 2, 2014. Retrieved on 2014-30-07.] Total value of the project amounts to US$715.6 million.
Ownership
Company "Tеrmoеlеktranе i kopovi" Kostolac is a
subsidiary of Elektroprivreda Srbije which is 100% owned by the state of
Serbia.
[Savic, Misha. Serbs Sign $716 Million Coal Plant, Mine Deal With CMEC Bloomberg, November 20, 2013. Retrieved on 2014-30-07.]
Controversial issues about Kostolac B3
Inadequate environmental impact assessment
are of the opinion that the Environmental impact assessment for the TPP Kostolac B3 is inadequate since it excludes the expansion of the Drmno open-cast mine, does not mention expected levels of
Air pollution to air from
heavy metals and does not consider alternative locations or alternative technologies. There is also no mentioning of transboundary impacts even though the site is just around 15 km from the
border and even nearer to the
River Danube.
also stress that data sources cited in the study for environmental and health information are outdated (from 2006) and very limited.
[ First court case against coal power plant construction in Serbia Bankwatch, July 2, 2014. Retrieved on 2014-30-07.]
On June the 2nd 2014 NGO CEKOR (Centre for Ecology and Sustainable Development) submitted a formal complaint in front of the Serbian national administrative court against the government’s decision to approve the Environmental Impact Assessment study for the construction of a new unit at the TPP Kostolac B. The complaint, in which the CEKOR exposes failings in the EIA process, is the first of its kind to reach Serbian courts.
Absence of the public procurement procedure
The signing of a
contract with CMEC on 20 November 2013 was done without
public tender.
This is justified by the Serbian government on the basis of Public procurement act, article 2, which says that projects signed under inter-state agreements with other states do not need tender processes.
[ Public Procurement Act. Retrieved on 2014-30-07.] Given the fact that
Serbia has the obligation of aligning itself with the
EU legislation, the question arises if the law is in accordance with the EU public procurement and
state aid legislation.
[ Saopštenje za javnost: projekat Kostolac B3 po lupom. CEKOR, April 25, 2014. Retrieved on 2014-31-07.]
Events
2014 Floods
in May 2014 threatened to reach Kostolac B thermo power plant, however plant workers,
Fire fighter and
Volunteering managed to contain the water by building embankments.
[ Kostolac power plant in east threatened by water B92, May 18, 2014. Retrieved on 2014-30-07.][ Fight for Kostolac power plant, third embankment put up Tanjug, May 18, 2014. Retrieved on 2014-30-07.] Given the fact that during
RB Kolubara suffered huge damages,
[ B92. Coal transport from Kolubara to Nikola Tesla power plant resumes. Retrieved 6. 6. 2014] losing Kostolac would mean another big hit for Serbia’s energy production. Environmental impact assessment for TPP Kostolac B3 doesn’t assess the vulnerability of the new power plant to flooding.
See also
-
Kostolac coal mine
-
List of power stations in Serbia
