The Maritsa Iztok Complex is the largest energy complex in South Eastern Europe.[citation needed] Maritsa Iztok 1 and 3 located entirely within Stara Zagora Province in south-central Bulgaria while Maritsa Iztok 2 is split with eastern neighboring Sliven Province. It consists of three lignite-fired thermal power stations. The complex is located in a large lignite coal basin, which includes several mines, enrichment plants, a briquette plant and its own railway system. The development of the thermal power and mining complex at Maritsa Iztok began in 1952, but the lignite deposits used to be known well in the mid-19th century. The Maritsa Iztok mines and power plants are interdependent as the only market for coal is the power plants, while the power plants have no other supplier of coal but the mines.[1]
| Maritsa Iztok-1 (TPS AES Galabovo) | |
|---|---|
 TPS AES Galabovo | |
 | |
| Country | Bulgaria |
| Location | Galabovo |
| Coordinates | 42°9′16″N 25°54′41″E / 42.15444°N 25.91139°E |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction began | June 2006 |
| Commission date | 3 June 2011 |
| Owner | AES Corporation |
| Thermal power station | |
| Primary fuel | Lignite |
| Power generation | |
| Units operational | 2 X 335 MW |
| Make and model | Alstom |
| Nameplate capacity | 670 MW |
| External links | |
| Commons | Related media on Commons |
| Maritsa Iztok-2 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Country | Bulgaria |
| Location | Radetski village |
| Coordinates | 42°15′14″N 26°7′55″E / 42.25389°N 26.13194°E |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction began | 7 May 1962 |
| Commission date | 10 November 1966 |
| Owner | Bulgarian Energy Holding EAD |
| Operator | Maritsa East-2 TPP |
| Thermal power station | |
| Primary fuel | Lignite |
| Power generation | |
| Units operational | 4 X 150 MW 2 X 210 MW 2 X 215 MW |
| Make and model | LMZ Electrosila |
| Nameplate capacity | 1,465 MW |
| External links | |
| Commons | Related media on Commons |
| Maritsa Iztok-3 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Country | Bulgaria |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 42°8′40″N 26°0′12″E / 42.14444°N 26.00333°E |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction began | 1978 |
| Commission date | 1980 |
| Operator | Energiina Kompaniya Maritsa Iztok 3 AD |
| Thermal power station | |
| Primary fuel | Lignite |
| Power generation | |
| Units operational | 4 X 225 MW |
| Make and model | LMZ |
| Nameplate capacity | 900 MW |
| External links | |
| Commons | Related media on Commons |
The complex is the largest source of CO2 emissions in Bulgaria with 142,913,573 tons emitted in 2020.
Maritsa Iztok-1 (TPS AES Galabovo)
editMaritsa Iztok-1 is located near Galabovo. In October 1998, the old power plant with a capacity of 500 megawatts (MW) was privatized and sold to Consolidated Continental Commerce (3C), later purchased by AES Corporation. On 15 February 2000, AES and the Bulgarian grid operator Natzionalna Elektricheska Kompania EAD (NEK) signed a 15-year tolling agreement, according to which AES has an obligation to replace the old power station with a new facility.[2] In June 2006, AES started construction of the new 670 MW power station.[3] It became operational on 3 June 2011.[4] The new power station consists of two pulverised coal boilers of 335 MW each, two steam turbines, two generators and desulphurisation facilities.[3] The plant was constructed by Alstom.[3] It cost €1.2 billion.[4]
Maritsa Iztok-2
editMaritsa Iztok-2 is the largest thermal power plant in the Balkans.[5] It is located 60 kilometres (37 mi) from Stara Zagora in the vicinity of the village of Radetski and the dam lake Ovcharitsa. The construction of Maritsa Iztok-2 started on 7 May 1962; it was inaugurated on 10 November 1966. Between 1979 and 1995 the power station was expanded by four additional units. 1977 and 1980 two new 325 metres (1,066 ft) tall chimneys were built. Maritsa Iztok-2 has a total installed capacity of 1,465 MW and generates 30% of Bulgaria's electricity. It consists of eight generating units, two of which are equipped with flue gas desulphurization plants. The rehabilitation of the older power units, including construction of FGD plants for units 1 to 6, are in progress.[6]
Maritsa Iztok-2 is wholly state-owned. It is a subsidiary of Bulgarian Energy Holding EAD.[7][8]
In November 2014 the power station was ranked as the industrial facility that is causing the highest damage costs to health and the environment in Bulgaria and the entire European Union by the European Environment Agency.[9]
In June 2019 a fire thought to be caused by routine maintenance broke out on the smokestack of the flue gas desulphurisation system at Unit 8.
Maritsa Iztok-3
editMaritsa Iztok-3 is Bulgaria's third-largest power plant. It is located 40 kilometres (25 mi) from Stara Zagora. The power plant has an installed capacity of 900 MW, which is produced by four units of each 225 MW. It has a 325 metres (1,066 ft) tall chimney.[10]
In 1998, the United States power utility Entergy Corporation purchased 73% of Maritsa Iztok-3 shares for US$375 million from the Bulgarian state. Entergy also has the obligation to modernize the power station.[11] In 2002, the Italian power company Enel joined the project; in 2006 Enel acquired Entergy's stake.[3][12] At present, Maritsa Iztok-3 is owned and operated by Energiina Kompaniya Maritsa Iztok 3 AD, a joint venture of ContourGlobal (73%) and NEK (27%).[13]
Enel is planning to invest in a new 700-800 MW coal-fired power plant next to the existing Maritsa Iztok-3 plant. The new power plant is expected to cost €900 million.[3][14]
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ Velinova, Sia (8 June 2007). "Bulgaria Maritsa Iztok Picks Favourite". SeeNews. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2008.
- ^ Vatahov, Ivan (11 July 2002). "AES granted licence". The Sofia Echo. Retrieved 16 March 2008.
- ^ a b c d e Vatahov, Ivan (26 June 2006). "Bulgaria's reactor closure aftershocks". The Sofia Echo. Retrieved 16 March 2008.
- ^ a b "Coal-fired power plant enters service in Bulgaria". Power Engineering. PennWell Corporation. 3 June 2011. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
- ^ "Maritsa Iztok 2 financing secured". The Sofia Echo. 15 July 2004. Retrieved 16 March 2008.
- ^ "Clash on Maritsa Iztok 2". The Sofia Echo. 10 April 2005. Retrieved 16 March 2008.
- ^ "Bulgaria Consolidates Five Energy Companies into Holding". Sofia News Agency. 13 February 2008. Retrieved 24 February 2008.
- ^ "Bulgaria announces birth of energy giant with new holding company". Power Engineering. PennWell Corporation. 14 February 2008. Retrieved 24 February 2008.
- ^ "Industrial facilities causing the highest damage costs to health and the environment". European Environment Agency. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
- ^ Jansson, Eric (28 April 2003). "Infrastructure: Veteran creditors seek partnerships". Financial Times. Retrieved 16 March 2008.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Entergy is buying two-thirds stkae in Bulgarian utility". The New York Times. 15 October 1998. Retrieved 16 March 2008.
- ^ "Maritsa Iztok 3 launched". The Sofia Echo. 17 April 2003. Retrieved 16 March 2008.
- ^ "New Power Plant Proposed in Bulgaria". The Sofia Echo. 28 August 2006. Retrieved 16 March 2008.
- ^ "Italy's Enel Ready to Quickly Build New Power Plant in Bulgaria". Sofia News Agency. 19 February 2007. Archived from the original on 21 November 2007. Retrieved 16 March 2008.