Construction halted on 1GW Polish coal plant

• 3 years ago (2020-05-21)
• David Flin

Coal 273 Europe 1061

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Polish energy companies Enea and Energa have announced that they are ending their involvement with construction of the 1GW Ostroleka C coal-fired power plant, after new co-owner PKN Orlen said it would not be involved in the project if it utilises coal.

PKN Orlen , a Polish state-owned energy company that recently acquired Energa, said it would only be involved if the 1GW project were pursued as a gas-fired plant. PKN Orlen announced its acquisition of Energa in December 2019. At the time, the company – Poland’s biggest oil refiner – said it might convert Ostroleka C to generate power with natural gas.

Enea and Energa said they would take a write-down of $120 million for pulling out of the project. GE has served as the lead contractor for the plant’s construction.

In February, Enea and Energa had said they would suspend their financing of the project, with the hope of finding outside investors to help finish construction.

GE had signed on as the EPC contractor for Ostroleka C. GE described the plant as an ultra-supercritical facility that: “Would reach the highest efficiency level possible in Poland with 46 per cent. In comparison to the global average of 33 per cent, that represents a 26 per cent reduction of CO2 per MW produced.”