Maritsa Iztok Complex

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The Maritsa Iztok Complex is the largest energy complex in South Eastern Europe. It is located in the Stara Zagora Province, south-central Bulgaria. It consists of three lignite-fired thermal power station. 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 19 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]

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[edit] Maritsa Iztok-1

Maritsa Iztok-1 is located near Galabovo. In October 1998, the old power plant with capacity of 500 megawatts (MW) was privatized to the Consolidated Continental Commerce (3C), later purchased by the AES Corporation. On 15 February 2000, AES and Bulgarian grid operator Natzionalna Elektricheska Kompania EAD (NEK) signed a 15-year tolling agreement, according to which, AES had an obligation to replace the old power station with the new facility.[2] In June 2006, AES started construction of new 670 MW power station, which costs €1.2-1.4 billion. It will be the first large-scale power plant to be built in Bulgaria in last 20 years, and the single largest foreign investment in Bulgaria and one of the largest green field investments in South East Europe.[3][4] The new power station will consist of the two pulverised coal boilers of 335 MW each, two steam turbines, two generators and the desulphurisation facilities. The first unit would be ready in mid-2009, and the second unit would be ready six months later. The plant will be constructed by Alstom.[4]

[edit] Maritsa Iztok-2

Maritsa Iztok-2 is the largest thermal power plant in the Balkans.[5] It is located 60 km 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 and it was inaugurated on 10 November 1966. On 1979 – 1995 the power station was expanded by four additional units. Maritsa Iztok-2 has total installed capacity of 1,465 MW and it 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 a wholly state-owned. To improve the corporate management and supervision of the energy sector, the Government of Bulgaria has decided to set up a state-owned energy holding company, which will be composed of gas company Bulgargaz, NEK EAD, Kozloduy nuclear power plant, Maritza-Iztok-2, and the Mini Maritza Iztok (Maritza Iztok mines). The state will hold a 100% stake in the holding company.[7][8]

[edit] Maritsa Iztok-3

Maritsa Iztok-3 is Bulgaria’s third-largest power plant. It is located 40 kilometres (25 mi) from Stara Zagora. The power plant has installed capacity of 900 MW, which is produced by four units each one 225 MW. It has a 325 metres (1,066 ft) tall chimney.[9]

In 1998, the United States power utility Entergy Corporation privatized 73% of Maritsa Iztok-3 shares for US$375 million. Entergy has also obligation to modernize the power station.[10] In 2002, the Italy's power company Enel joined the project and in 2006 Enel acquired the Entergy's stake.[4][11] At present, the Maritsa Iztok-3 is owned and operated by Energiina Kompaniya Maritsa Iztok 3 AD, the joint venture of Enel (73 %) and NEK (27 %).[12]

Enel is planning to invest in a new 700-800 MW coal-fired power plant beside of existing Maritsa Iztok-3. The new poer plant is expected to cost €900 million.[4][13]

[edit] New power station

The Bulgarian power regulator is expected to open a competitive procedure for the construction of a new 700 MW plant in the Maritsa Iztok basin.[13] In addition to Enel's new power station project, the construction of new power station is proposed by the German utility RWE. RWE and the Martisa Iztok mining complex have signed an agreement on setting up a joint company that will apply for construction of the power station. RWE expects the investment to be €900 million to €1 billion, and the power station to be ready by 2013.[1]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Sia Velinova. "Bulgaria Maritsa Iztok Picks Favourite", SeeNews, 2007-06-08. Retrieved on 2008-03-16. 
  2. ^ Ivan Vatahov. "AES granted licence", The Sofia Echo, 2002-07-11. Retrieved on 2008-03-16. 
  3. ^ Petar Kostadinov. "Social policy projects for Bulgaria's Maritsa-Iztok", The Sofia Echo, 2006-11-20. Retrieved on 2008-03-16. 
  4. ^ a b c d Ivan Vatahov. "Bulgaria's reactor closure aftershocks", The Sofia Echo, 2006-06-26. Retrieved on 2008-03-16. 
  5. ^ "Maritsa Iztok 2 financing secured", The Sofia Echo, 2004-07-15. Retrieved on 2008-03-16. 
  6. ^ "Clash on Maritsa Iztok 2", The Sofia Echo, 2005-04-10. Retrieved on 2008-03-16. 
  7. ^ "Bulgaria Consolidates Five Energy Companies into Holding", Sofia News Agency, 2008-02-13. Retrieved on 2008-02-24. 
  8. ^ "Bulgaria announces birth of energy giant with new holding company", Power Engineering, 2008-02-14. Retrieved on 2008-02-24. 
  9. ^ Eric Jansson. "Infrastructure: Veteran creditors seek partnerships", Financial Times, 2003-04-28. Retrieved on 2008-03-16. 
  10. ^ "Entergy is buying two-thirds stkae in Bulgarian utility", The New York Times, 1998-10-15. Retrieved on 2008-03-16. 
  11. ^ "Maritsa Iztok 3 launched", The Sofia Echo, 2003-04-17. Retrieved on 2008-03-16. 
  12. ^ "New Power Plant Proposed in Bulgaria", The Sofia Echo, 2006-08-28. Retrieved on 2008-03-16. 
  13. ^ a b "Italy's Enel Ready to Quickly Build New Power Plant in Bulgaria", Sofia News Agency, 2007-02-19. Retrieved on 2008-03-16. 

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