Maritsa Iztok-3 power station
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Maritsa Iztok-3 power station is an operating power station of at least 908-megawatts (MW) in Mednikarovo, Galabovo, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria with multiple units, some of which are not currently operating. It is also known as Maritza East-3 power station.
Location
Table 1: Project-level location details
| Plant name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
|---|---|---|
| Maritsa Iztok-3 power station | Mednikarovo, Galabovo, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria | 42.14502, 26.003009 (exact) |
The map below shows the exact location of the power station.
Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):
- Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3, Unit 4: 42.14502, 26.003009
- Unit 5: 42.1444, 26.0033
Project Details
Table 2: Unit-level details
| Unit name | Status | Fuel(s) | Capacity (MW) | Technology | Start year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | operating | coal: lignite | 227 | subcritical | 1978 |
| Unit 2 | operating | coal: lignite | 227 | subcritical | 1979 |
| Unit 3 | operating | coal: lignite | 227 | subcritical | 1980 |
| Unit 4 | operating | coal: lignite | 227 | subcritical | 1981 |
| Unit 5 | cancelled | coal: lignite | 700 | supercritical | 2011 |
Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details
| Unit name | Owner | Parent |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | Contour Global Maritsa Iztok 3 AD [100%] | KKR Co Inc [73.0%]; Bulgarian Energy Holding EAD [27.0%] |
| Unit 2 | Contour Global Maritsa Iztok 3 AD [100%] | KKR Co Inc [73.0%]; Bulgarian Energy Holding EAD [27.0%] |
| Unit 3 | Contour Global Maritsa Iztok 3 AD [100%] | KKR Co Inc [73.0%]; Bulgarian Energy Holding EAD [27.0%] |
| Unit 4 | Contour Global Maritsa Iztok 3 AD [100%] | KKR Co Inc [73.0%]; Bulgarian Energy Holding EAD [27.0%] |
| Unit 5 | Enel SpA; Natsionalna Elektricheska Kompania EAD | Bulgarian Energy Holding EAD; Enel SpA |
Project-level coal details
- Coal source(s): Maritsa Iztok coal basin
Background
Maritsa Iztok-3 is Bulgaria’s second-largest coal-fired power plant. It is located 40 km from from Stara Zagora. The power plant has an installed capacity of 908MW, which is produced by four units of each 227MW. It has a 325m tall chimney.[1] Lignite coal is supplied from Maritsa Coal Mines.
In 1998, the United States power utility Entergy purchased 73% of Maritsa Iztok-3 shares for US$375 million from the Bulgarian state. Entergy also had the obligation to modernize the power station.[2] In 2002, the Italian power company Enel joined the project; in 2006 Enel acquired Entergy's stake.[3] Until 2011, Maritsa Iztok-3 was owned and operated by Energiina Kompaniya Maritsa Iztok 3 AD, a joint venture of Enel (73%) and NEK (27%).[4]
In 2011, Enel sold its majority share to Contour Global, a U.S. investment fund.[5] Enel said the power station was not in line with the development strategy of the group, suspending its proposed new unit.[6] The plant was renamed ContourGlobal Maritsa East 3.[7]
As of April 2022, the plant accounted for more than 13% of Bulgaria's total electricity production[8] and 10% as of April 2023.[9]
Thanks to the rehabilitation of the main facilities, Maritsa Iztok 3 power station is said to be one of the most modern coal plants in Southeast Europe. Significant investments have been made to meet all the highest environmental standards. As of 2023, ContourGlobal predicted that the plant will be able to continue operating beyond 2030.[10][11]
Electricity production at Maritsa Iztok 3 was reportedly paused in February 2024 when its contract with state-owned National Electric Co. expired. The plant's operator was preparing to lay off 160 workers, equivalent to one third of the workforce. Production at the plant was expected to resume in the latter half of 2024.[12]
In July 2024, ContourGlobal announced that another 160 employees at the power station would be laid off as generation costs were too high for the plant to operate profitably.[13]
In November 2024, Bulgaria’s interim energy minister announced plans to restart two units at the plant during the first quarter of 2025. The units had paused generation in February 2024 when the plant’s contract with National Electric Co. expired. Energy analysts criticized the decision, saying there was “no economic justification” for restarting the plant, and that an influx of new solar capacity in 2025 would push prices down and displace coal power in the merit order.[14]
Coal Phase-out
In 2021, Bulgaria indicated that it may close all coal-fired power plants by 2025.[15]
The National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) approved in April 2022 referred to 2038 as the (non-binding) coal phase-out date. The NRPP included also targets for CO2 reduction until 2025, with 8% reduction by the end of 2022, 18% reduction by the end of 2023, 28% reduction by the end of 2024, and 40% by the end of 2025, versus 2019 levels. 2022 target was not achieved as coal-fired generation increased on the back of the war in Ukraine and the cut-off from Russian gas.[16][17]
In January 2023, Bulgarian Ministry of Energy published its Strategic Vision for Sustainable Development of the Energy Sector up to 2053. The document acknowledged that the drastic reduction of CO2 emissions from coal plants by 2025 stipulated in the 2022 NRRP was unrealistic, threatens national energy system stability and will be difficult to achieve in view of current high market prices. As a result, the strategy recommends the use of domestic coal resources by 2030 and their gradual reduction until decommissioning by 2038.[18]
As of June 2023, it is understood that an updated NRPP and a coal phase-out schedule may be renegotiated with the European Commission later in 2023.
Unit 5 Proposal
Enel planned invest in a new 700 MW coal-fired power plant next to the existing Maritsa Iztok-3 plant, expected to cost €900 million.[19]
Articles and Resources
References
- ↑ Jansson, Eric (2003-04-28). "Infrastructure: Veteran creditors seek partnerships". Financial Times. Retrieved 2008-03-16.
- ↑ "Entergy is buying two-thirds stkae in Bulgarian utility". The New York Times. 1998-10-15. Retrieved 2008-03-16.
- ↑ "Maritsa Iztok 3 launched". The Sofia Echo. 2003-04-17. Retrieved 2008-03-16.
- ↑ "New Power Plant Proposed in Bulgaria". The Sofia Echo. 2006-08-28. Retrieved 2008-03-16.
- ↑ "Enel Wraps Up Sale of Bulgaria Plant Stake," Novinite.com, June 28, 2011
- ↑ "Enel Maritsa East 3 to be renamed ContourGlobal Maritsa East 3," The Sofia Echo, Sep 14, 2011.
- ↑ "MARITSA EAST 3". www.contourglobal.com. Retrieved June 2023.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|access-date=(help)CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "ContourGlobal Maritsa East 3 plant generates 13% of Bulgaria's Q1 power output," See News, April 18, 2022
- ↑ "ContourGlobal Maritsa East 3 TPP produces 10% of Bulgaria's Q1 power output". seenews.com. April 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "БЪДЕЩЕТО Е ВЪЗМОЖНО". www.capital.bg. 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "ТЕЦ "КонтурГлобал Марица Изток 3" осигури близо 10% от произведената в страната електроенергия". business.dir.bg. April 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Coal power plants in Bulgaria cutting production amid losses, pollution breaches," Balkan Green Energy News, March 29, 2024
- ↑ “ContourGlobal fires almost all workers from its coal plant in Bulgaria,” Balkan Green Energy News, July 9, 2024
- ↑ “Bulgaria’s plan to restart 0.5 GW coal power sparks concerns,” Montel News, November 27, 2024
- ↑ "Bulgaria hints at possible closure of all coal-fired power plants by mid-2025". Balkan Green Energy News. 2021-08-02. Retrieved 2022-06-02.
- ↑ "Bulgaria's 2053 energy strategy: coal until 2030, new nuclear capacities". balkangreenenergynews.com. January 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ Center for the Study of Democracy (March 2023). "The Contours of Bulgaria's Climate Neutrality Roadmap" (PDF). csd.bg.
{{cite web}}: line feed character in|title=at position 35 (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Bulgaria 2053 energy outlook: renewables, nuclear and storage". www.lexology.com. January 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Italy's Enel Ready to Quickly Build New Power Plant in Bulgaria". Sofia News Agency. 2007-02-19. Retrieved 2008-03-16.
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.
