Florina (Meliti) Power Station
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Florina (Meliti) Power Station is an operating power station of at least 330-megawatts (MW) in Melíti, Flórina, Western Macedonia, Greece with multiple units, some of which are not currently operating.
Location
Table 1: Project-level location details
| Plant name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
|---|---|---|
| Florina (Meliti) Power Station | Melíti, Flórina, Western Macedonia, Greece | 40.8114, 21.6014 (exact) |
The map below shows the exact location of the power station.
Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):
- Unit 1, Unit 2: 40.8114, 21.6014
Project Details
Table 2: Unit-level details
| Unit name | Status | Fuel(s) | Capacity (MW) | Technology | Start year | Retired year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | operating | coal: lignite | 330 | supercritical | 2003 | 2025 (planned) |
| Unit 2 | cancelled | coal: lignite | 450 | unknown | 2020 | – |
Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details
| Unit name | Owner | Parent |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | Public Power Corporation SA [100%] | Public Power Corporation SA [100.0%] |
| Unit 2 | Public Power Corporation SA [100%] | Public Power Corporation SA [100.0%] |
Background
Florina power station is a one-unit coal-fired power plant with a total capacity of 330 MW. The supercritical plant is owned by Public Power Corporation S.A. and began operation in 2003. It is powered by lignite coal.[1][2]
Public Power Corp. accelerated their coal phase-out plans and will decommission all coal plants by 2023. This includes the Florina/Meliti plant.[3]
In September 2022, the Greek gas grid operator DESFA announced that the retirement of seven coal units in the country would be delayed due to energy security concerns in light of the war in Ukraine. They were alongside several other European countries pushing back their decarbonization plans as gas supplies were increasingly unavailable ahead of the winter season.[4]
As of December 2022, the power station would remain in operation until the end of 2025.[5]
May 2024 reporting indicated that according to the Independent Power Transmission Operator, poor quality of available lignite at the Florina (Meliti) power station and Megalopoli power station had been affecting their ability to generate electricity.[6]
In July 2024, the state-owned Public Power Corporation (PPC) reportedly confirmed with parliament that Florina (Meliti) power station would be closed by the end of the year.[7] However, reporting from December 2024 indicated that the plant’s operation would be extended by three months to the end of March 2025. The transmission regulator reportedly cited low water availability in hydroelectric dams and increased winter demand as the reasons for the delayed closure.[8]
Expansion
A second unit of 440 MW has been proposed, with an estimated operation date of 2021.[9][10]
In April 2014 a bill was submitted to spin off and partially privatize PPC under a plan agreed to with the country’s EU/IMF lenders. According to the plan, 30% of PPC’s units and mines would be transferred to the new company, including Meliti I and the license for Meliti II.[11] However in February 2015 the new Greek government said it would not privatize PPC.[12]
In February 2016, PPC said it will seek to develop Meliti II as a joint venture with a European partner, who would together construct the plant and operate it as well as the region’s coal mines. The prospective plant has a budget of 750 million euros.[13] However, according to CAN Europe, while the proposal has a production permit there has been no discussion on an environmental permit, and the project is effectively on hold while PPC focuses on Ptolemaida V Power Station.[14]
In August 2016 PPC announced that it will sign an MoU with China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) for the construction of a second lignite-fired unit at its Meliti station. PPC estimates the new unit will cost 700 million euros, while investments in a nearby lignite pit to mine coal for the unit would raise the total investment to more than one billion euros.[15] The MoU for a 450 MW unit was signed in September 2016. PPC is believed to be open to the prospect of becoming a junior partner with CMEC in this venture.[16]
However, in April 2017 it was reported that China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) "appears to have decided to put on hold the prospect of developing and acquiring majority control of Meliti II," due to concerns over reliability of mining and plant ownership rights.[17]
On April 6, 2018, the environmental permit for Meliti II was renewed, along with the permit renewal of the existing unit Meliti I. The new permit will be valid until 2028.[18]
WWF Greece, Greenpeace Greece, and ClientEarth are seeking to annul the environmental permit for Meliti I and II, saying the Greek state granted the new permit despite no new EIA having been conducted since the original one expired in 2009, before updated regulations were implemented, and without consideration of climate change. The court date for this case is March 2019.[19]
In September 2019 the government of Greece said it planned to phase out coal power by 2028, making Meliti II look unlikely, although a formal cancellation has not been announced.[20]
In January 2020 Greece’s Supreme Administrative Court, the Greek Council of State, annulled the environmental permits for the Meliti plant. The decision means that the construction of Meliti II will no longer go ahead, while Meliti I will need to apply for a new environmental permit if it is to continue operating.[21]
Ownership
In April 2018 Greece agreed with its lenders to sell 40 percent of the coal-fired capacity of PPC, which is majority state-controlled. The 330 MW Meliti Power Station and the license for the second 450 MW unit will be sold, along with two units in southern Greece. Under bailout terms, PPC should launch an international tender for a buyer at the end of May 2018.[22]
Articles and Resources
References
- ↑ "Florina Coal Power Plant" Industry About, accessed November 21, 2012.
- ↑ "Lignite-Fired Plants in Greece," Industcards, accessed April 2016
- ↑ Lignite phase-out," PPC Group, accessed July 14, 2022
- ↑ "Greece will keep coal-fired plants running for longer amid gas crisis," Reuters, September 5, 2022
- ↑ "Greece delays closure of three coal plant units to 2025," Balkan Green Energy News, December 16, 2022
- ↑ "Share of coal power in Greece tumbles to zero," Balkan Green Energy News, May 20, 2024
- ↑ “Greece pushes its coal exit target date forward to 2026,” Balkan Green Energy News, July 30, 2024
- ↑ “Greece extends Meliti lignite plant operation for energy security in winter,” Balkan Green Energy News, December 3, 2024
- ↑ "Ptolemaida 5 and Meliti 2 Economic viability report of the new lignite units," WWF Briefing report, July 2013.
- ↑ "How Germany's development bank will fund a giant lignite plant in Greece," Energy Desk, March 24, 2014
- ↑ "PPC Breakup Bill Submitted to Greek Parliament," Energia, April 01, 2014
- ↑ "Greece's radical new government is already splitting over privatisations," Business Insider Australia, Feb. 25, 2015
- ↑ "European partner possible for new PPC Meliti power plant, boss says," Energy Press, 2/15/2016
- ↑ Personal communication with CAN Europe, January 2016
- ↑ "PPC to sign MoU with China's CMEC for second lignite-fired unit in NW Greece," naftemporiki, Aug 31, 2016
- ↑ "PPC, China’s CMEC sign MOU for new power station," Energy Press, 14/09/2016
- ↑ "CMEC, fearing developments, places Meliti II plan on hold," Energy Press, Apr 28, 2017
- ↑ "απόφασή," διαυγεια, April 6, 2018
- ↑ "Sister power plants in Greece face court challenge for disregarding people and planet," Client Earth, 15 October 2018
- ↑ "Greece and Hungary to phase out coal-fired electricity". Europe Beyond Coal. 2019-09-24. Retrieved 2020-01-06.
- ↑ "New Greek power plant cancelled in major NGO court win". ClientEarth. 2020-01-13. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
- ↑ "Greek MPs allow power plant sales, govt says not selling family silver," Reuters, April 25, 2018
Additional data
To access additional data, including an interactive map of coal-fired power stations, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Coal Plant Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.
