Megalopolis Lignite Center

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Megalopolis Lignite Center is an operating coal mine in Megalopoli, Arcadia, Peloponnese, Greece.

Location

Table 1: Project-level location details

Mine Name	Location	Coordinates (WGS 84)
Megalopolis Lignite Center	Megalopoli, Arcadia, Peloponnese, Greece	37.427554, 22.097807 (exact)

The map below shows the exact location of the coal mine:

Loading map...

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Project Details

Table 2: Project status

Status	Status Detail	Opening Year	Closing Year
Operating	–	1969	2025 (planned)

Table 3: Operation details

Note: The asterisk (*) signifies that the value is a GEM estimated figure.

Capacity (Mtpa)	Production (Mtpa)	Year of Production	Mine Type	Mining Method	Mine Size (km2)	Mine Depth (m)	Workforce Size
–	2.1	2023	Surface	Open Pit	40	150	#REF!*

Table 4: Coal resources and destination

Total Reserves (Mt)	Year of Total Reserves Recorded	Total Resources (Mt)	Coalfield	Coal Type	Coal Grade	Primary Consumer/ Destination
–	–	132	Megalopolis	Lignite	Thermal	Megalopoli power station

Table 5: Ownership and parent company

Owner	Parent Company	Headquarters
Lignitiki Megalopolis SA	Public Power Corporation of Greece S.A	Greece

Table 6: Historical production (unit: million tonnes per annum)

Note: The asterisk (*) indicates that the value is an estimated figure based on various factors, including the company's forecasted or reported monthly or quarterly production data, etc.

ROM or Saleable	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
ROM	7.8*	7.4	7.7	2.81	3.5*	2.9	2.1*

Note: The above section was automatically generated and is based on data from the Global Coal Mine Tracker April 2024 release and the September and December supplements.

Background

Megalopolis Lignite Centre (MLC) is a network of surface coal mines, operated by Lignitiki Megalopolis SA, owned by the Public Power Corporation of Greece, in Western Macedonia, Greece.

The cluster was developed in the area of Megalopolis in Arcadia, with surface mines (Thoknia, Choremio, Kyparissia and Marathousa). Exploitation of the deposit in the area began in 1970 and it was the first time at the global level that lignite of such a low quality was mined and used for electricity generation. The annual production of lignite increased gradually from 4.1 million tonnes in 1971 to 14.5 million tonnes in 2002 (maximum production). Production was maintained at the level of 13-14 million tonnes per year until 2008, when a slight gradual decline began. In the five-year period 2015-2019, production was in the range of 6-8 million tonnes per year. In 2020 lignite production from the Megalopolis mines was 2.8 million tonnes.

MLC provides power to the Megalopoli power station.

Together with Western Macedonia Lignite Centre and the head office in Athens, PPC employed during 2022 a total permanent workforce of 2 947. Joint coal production of PPC coal mines was 9.5 million tonnes in 2023.

Coal Phase-Out

Around 2020/2021, PPC planned to close the mine by the end of 2023. The Choremio mine was in operation at the time in the southern part of the basin, mainly with continuous mining machinery.

As per PPC's 2023 Annual report, the Group is committed to the withdrawal of the lignite-fired power plants and the corresponding mines through an intensive decommissioning plan. However, due to the energy crisis, the extension is being modified, and PPC has set a new target by the end of 2026, depending also on market conditions.

In July 2024, PCC reportedly confirmed with parliament that the Megalopoli power station would be closed by the end of the year. In December 2024, it appeared that the last unit of the power station Unit 4 and the and the mines in the area were being closed imminently.

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Additional data

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