Narva Power Plants

The Narva Power Plants (Estonian: Narva Elektrijaamad) are a power generation complex in and near Narva in Estonia, near the border with Leningrad Oblast, Russia. The complex consists of the world's two largest oil shale-fired thermal power plants, Eesti Power Plant (Eesti Elektrijaam) and Balti Power Plant (Balti Elektrijaam).[1] In 2007, Narva Power Plants generated about 95% of total power production in Estonia.[2] The complex is owned and operated by AS Narva Elektrijaamad, a subsidiary of Eesti Energia.

"Narva Power Station" redirects here. For the hydroelectric power station in Russia, see Narva Hydroelectric Station.

Eesti Power Plant
Eesti Power Plant
Country	Estonia
Location	Auvere
Coordinates	59.269565°N 27.902184°E / 59.269565; 27.902184
Status	Operational
Construction began	1963
Commission date	1973
Owner(s)	Eesti Energia
Operator(s)	Enefit Energiatootmine
Thermal power station
Primary fuel	Oil shale
Power generation
Units operational	7
Nameplate capacity	1,615 MW

Balti Power Plant
Country	Estonia
Location	Narva
Coordinates	59.353452°N 28.122811°E / 59.353452; 28.122811
Status	Operational
Construction began	1959
Commission date	1965
Owner(s)	Eesti Energia
Operator(s)	Enefit Energiatootmine
Thermal power station
Primary fuel	Oil shale
Power generation
Units operational	6
Nameplate capacity	765 MW

Auvere Power Plant
Country	Estonia
Location	Auvere
Coordinates	59.269969°N 27.894530°E / 59.269969; 27.894530
Status	Operational
Construction began	2011
Commission date	2015
Construction cost	638 million euro
Owner(s)	Eesti Energia
Operator(s)	Enefit Energiatootmine
Thermal power station
Primary fuel	Oil shale
Secondary fuel	Biomass
Power generation
Units operational	1
Nameplate capacity	300 MW

Balti Power Plant

The Balti Power Plant was built between 1959 and 1965. It is located 5 kilometres (3 mi) south-west of Narva. As of the end of 2005, Balti Power Plant had an installed capacity of 765 MW. The installed thermal capacity was 400 MW.[2] The cooling water is supplied from the Narva Reservoir, which is closely connected to the Narva River via two 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) long inlet channels.[3] The Balti Power Plant is the sole supplier of thermal power for the district heating system of Narva.

The Balti Power Plant is divided into an old and a new part. The old part initially had eighteen TP-17 boilers and eight 100 MWe turbines. Four boilers and two turbines are currently in operation, while the others have been taken out of service. The new part has eight TP-67 boilers and four 200 MWe turbines.[3] All these boilers use the pulverized combustion (PC) technology. In 2003, the Unit 11 was reconstructed to use the circulated fluidized bed combustion (CFBC) technology, which is more efficient and environmental-friendly (lower SO₂ and CO₂ emissions) than PC technology.[4]

Balti Power Plant has four flue gas stacks, which are 149 metres (489 ft), 150.6 metres (494 ft), 153 metres (502 ft) and 182.6 metres (599 ft) tall.

Eesti Power Plant

The Eesti Power Plant is located roughly 20 km west-south-west of Narva. It was built between 1963 and 1973. As of the end of 2005, Eesti Power Plant had installed capacity of 1,615 MW. The installed thermal capacity was 84 MW.[2] Cooling water is supplied from the Narva River and Mustajõgi River via a 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) long open channel.[3]

The Eesti Power Plant initially had sixteen TP-101 boilers and eight 200 MWe steam turbines. Fourteen boilers and seven turbines are currently in service.[3] In 2003, the Unit 8 was reconstructed to use the CFBC technology.[4]

Eesti Power Plant has two 250 metres (820 ft) tall flue-gas stacks, which are the tallest in Estonia.

In 2014 Eesti Power Plant was named as number 15th among top 30 European Union's most polluting power plants. It also was the only listed power plant from Baltic states and Nordic countries region, emitting 10.67 Mt of CO2 per year into the atmosphere.[5]

Auvere Power Plant

On 14 January 2011, Narva Elektrijaamad signed a contract with the French power engineering company Alstom for construction of the new Auvere Power Plant next to the existing Eesti Power Plant.[6][7] The initial €540 million contract foresaw a construction of a 300 MW oil shale-fired unit which was completed 2015.[8] The unit utilizes a circulating fluidized bed boiler technology.[6]

The original contract included an option for the second unit; however, in February 2014 plans for the second unit were cancelled.[9]

Ash disposal

The oil shale burnt at Narva plants produces roughly 46% ash, so the stations produce about 4.5 million tons of ash per year.[3] The ash-disposal system involves washing it away with water, and the dirty water is stored in ash-storage lagoons which appear bright blue on the satellite photos. Balti has two storage areas. The western one is divided into twelve sub-regions by banks about three metres wide, and is already closed. The eastern one is in current use and is divided into three sub-regions. The ash is highly alkaline, since the non-combustible portion of the oil shale is essentially limestone.

Wind farm

In 2012 a 39 MW wind farm was erected on the closed ash field of Balti Power Plant. The wind farm consists of 17 Enercon E82 wind turbines, 2.3 MW each.[10] The hub height is 107 metres (351 ft) and the rotor diameter is 82 metres (269 ft). To fasten the generators' foundations, 22-metre (72 ft) stakes have been drilled into the field's limestone base.[11] The wind farm cost €60 million and was completed in 2012.[12]

See also

• Oil shale in Estonia
• Narva Hydroelectric Station

References

1. Liive, Sandor (2007). "Oil Shale Energetics in Estonia" (PDF). Oil Shale. A Scientific-Technical Journal. Estonian Academy Publishers. 24 (1): 1–4. ISSN 0208-189X. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
2. "Estonia Energy in Figures 2007" (PDF). Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications. 2008: 29. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2009-10-29. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
3. "EBRD project summary document - Estonia: Narva Power. Environmental Issues Associated with Narva Power Plants. Executive Summary" (PDF). European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. 2002-05-15. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-10-23. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
4. Laur, A. (2003). "Sustainability of oil shale-based electricity production" (PDF). Oil Shale. A Scientific-Technical Journal. Estonian Academy Publishers. 20 (3 Special): 388–397. ISSN 0208-189X. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
5. Estonian power plant among Europe's top polluters
6. "Alstom signs €950m contract for new power plant in Estonia". Industrial Fuels and Power. 2011-01-14. Archived from the original on 2011-01-17. Retrieved 2011-01-15.
7. Tere, Juhan (2010-12-22). "Alstom and Eesti Energia will build new power plant in Estonia". The Baltic Course. Retrieved 2018-06-22.
8. "Electricity and heat production". Eesti Energia. Retrieved 2018-06-22.
9. "Eesti Energia Ditches Plant Expansion for Shale Oil". ERR. 2014-02-20. Retrieved 2014-04-06.
10. "Eesti Energia to build a wind farm near Narva". TheBioenergySite.com. 2010-06-17. Archived from the original on 2010-06-22. Retrieved 2010-11-14.
11. Tammik, Ott (2011-06-02). "Narva Wind Farm Construction Underway". ERR. Retrieved 2011-06-05.
12. Joost, Kai (2010-06-18). "Eesti Energia to build €60 mln wind farm". Baltic Reports. Retrieved 2011-06-05.

External links

• Corporate website of Eesti Energia