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Turów power station is an operating power station of at least 1948-megawatts (MW) in Bogatynia, Zgorzelec, Dolnośląskie, Poland with multiple units, some of which are not currently operating. It is also known as Turów power station Unit 11 (Unit 7R).
Location
Table 1: Project-level location details
| Plant name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
|---|---|---|
| Turów power station | Bogatynia, Zgorzelec, Dolnośląskie, Poland | 50.947717, 14.91171 (exact) |
The map below shows the exact location of the power station.
Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):
- Unit 1, Unit 10, Unit 2, Unit 3, Unit 4, Unit 5, Unit 6, Unit 7, Unit 8, Unit 9: 50.947717, 14.91171
- Unit 7R: 50.94861, 14.91305
Project Details
Table 2: Unit-level details
| Unit name | Status | Fuel(s) | Capacity (MW) | Technology | Start year | Retired year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | operating | coal: lignite, bioenergy: unknown | 235 | subcritical | 1962 | 2044 (planned) |
| Unit 10 | retired | coal: lignite | 206 | subcritical | 1971 | 2013 |
| Unit 2 | operating | coal: lignite, bioenergy: unknown | 235 | subcritical | 1962 | 2044 (planned) |
| Unit 3 | operating | coal: lignite, bioenergy: unknown | 235 | subcritical | 1963 | 2044 (planned) |
| Unit 4 | operating | coal: lignite, bioenergy: unknown | 261 | subcritical | 1963 | 2044 (planned) |
| Unit 5 | operating | coal: lignite, bioenergy: unknown | 261 | subcritical | 1964 | 2044 (planned) |
| Unit 6 | operating | coal: lignite, bioenergy: unknown | 261 | subcritical | 1964 | 2044 (planned) |
| Unit 7 | retired | coal: lignite | 200 | subcritical | 1965 | 2003 |
| Unit 7R | operating | coal: lignite | 460 | ultra-supercritical | 2021 | 2044 (planned) |
| Unit 8 | retired | coal: lignite | 200 | subcritical | 1970 | 2010 |
| Unit 9 | retired | coal: lignite | 200 | subcritical | 1971 | 2012 |
Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details
| Unit name | Owner | Parent |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | PGE Elektrownia Turow SA [100%] | Polska Grupa Energetyczna SA |
| Unit 10 | PGE Elektrownia Turow SA [100%] | Polska Grupa Energetyczna SA |
| Unit 2 | PGE Elektrownia Turow SA [100%] | Polska Grupa Energetyczna SA |
| Unit 3 | PGE Elektrownia Turow SA [100%] | Polska Grupa Energetyczna SA |
| Unit 4 | PGE Elektrownia Turow SA [100%] | Polska Grupa Energetyczna SA |
| Unit 5 | PGE Elektrownia Turow SA [100%] | Polska Grupa Energetyczna SA |
| Unit 6 | PGE Elektrownia Turow SA [100%] | Polska Grupa Energetyczna SA |
| Unit 7 | PGE Elektrownia Turow SA [100%] | Polska Grupa Energetyczna SA |
| Unit 7R | PGE Elektrownia Turow SA [100%] | Polska Grupa Energetyczna SA |
| Unit 8 | PGE Elektrownia Turow SA [100%] | Polska Grupa Energetyczna SA |
| Unit 9 | PGE Elektrownia Turow SA [100%] | Polska Grupa Energetyczna SA |
Project-level coal details
- Coal source(s): Turów coal mine, Turow coal mine
Financing
- Source of financing: NIB Bank
Background on existing station
The plant consisted of ten 200 MW units, commissioned from 1962 to 1971. PGE undertook a US$1.6 billion modernization of units 1-6 of the plant in the early 1990s. Units 7-10 have been phased out. Unit 7 was retired in 2003. In 2010, Unit 8 was retired. Units 9 and 10 were decommissioned in 2012-2013. PGE has repowered Units 5 and 6 to co-incinerate biomass, and plans for co-firing of biomass in boilers 1, 2, 3, and 4. Units 1, 2, and 3 have been upgraded from 200 MW to 235 MW each. The plant's remaining six units had a combined capacity of 1,305 MW as of 2014.[1] As of 2022, the original units are believed to have the following capacity:[2]
- Unit 1: 235 MW
- Unit 2: 235 MW
- Unit 3: 235 MW
- Unit 4: 261 MW
- Unit 5: 261 MW
- Unit 6: 261 MW
The power station is owned by Polska Grupa Energetyczna (PGE SA or PGE Group, the name can be translated as Polish Energy Group).[3]
As of October 2022, the power station was expected to run until 2044.[4] Campaigns such as Stop Turow maintain that the project and accompanying mine could reasonably be closed as soon as 2026.[5]
New Unit 7R
In June 2013, PGE announced a tender for the construction of a new unit at Turów power plant. The new block was expected to replace the three oldest energy blocks, 8,9 and 10, which were being decommissioned. Completion of the construction and commission of the new unit were scheduled for 2018.[1] PGE described the new unit as 460 MW in a 2012 presentation,[6] but later described it as 450 MW in size.[7]
In March 2014, PGE picked a consortium led by Hitachi Power Europe and comprising MHPS Europe, Tecnicas Reunidas and Budimex to build the new coal-fired unit at a price of $1.07 billion. Budimex said that work would take 56 months from the start of construction.[8]
In July 2014, PGE signed a contract with Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems to build a 450-MW lignite-fueled plant at Turów using ultra-supercritical technology. The construction was planned to start in 2015 and was expected to be completed within four years.[7]
Construction began in December 2014.[9]
The new unit was planned for operation in the second quarter of 2020,[10] although in May 2020 it was reported that the unit was facing delays.[11]
In November 2020, PGE said the new unit was undergoing synchronization, and was now planned for operation on April 30, 2021.[12]
In May 2021, PGE commissioned the new 450 to 496 MW unit, depending on accounts, at the plant.[13]
More than PLN 4.3 billion were allocated for the construction of the New Unit 7. At the time of commissioning, prices were at a record high of more than 53 euros per ton of CO2. According to advocates, "The annual carbon footprint of the new unit is comparable to the carbon footprint of nine million air travelers between Warsaw and Athens (back and forth) or the annual mileage of two and a half million passenger cars." In addition, immediately after being commissioned, the unit failed to operate at full power and had to be turned off: the first unit closure happened just 15 days after its formal opening. In addition, in June 2021, the unit was shut down for more than a month, only to be shut down again in October 2021.[14][15] The unit provides both heat and power.[16]
Other proposed coal projects
In 2012, PGE Group said it was considering building lignite mines and power plants in the Lubuskie region, Western Poland, in a long term perspective, as the deposits of its current mine in Turow would likely be depleted within 30 years. PGE held permits to explore lignite deposits in the region.[17]
Additional information is available at the Turów coal mine wiki page.
Related litigation
In March 2024, environmental activists won a legal case against Turów coal mine's mining licence through 2044, on the grounds that an Environmental Impact Assessment had not been conducted.[18]
In May 2024, Beyond Fossil Fuels highlighted that the dispute demonstrates the need for a comprehensive, just transition plan involving all affected parties. The organization argued that the necessity of Turów power station's capacity was inflated by the Polish Government, citing the country's accelerated growth of renewable energy generation.[18]
Articles and Resources
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Dodgy Deal: Turów coal power plant," Banktrack report, last updated Mar 20, 2014
- ↑ "Coal Exit Tracker," Europe Beyond Coal, accessed February 2022
- ↑ "Coal-Fired Plants Financed by International Public Investment Institutions Since 1994", Appendix to Foreclosing the Future: Coal, Climate and International Public Finance: Investment in coal-fired power plants hinders the fight against global warming, Environmental Defense, April 2009.
- ↑ "The Turów mine and power plant are to be completed in 2044.," MZZPRC, October 2, 2022
- ↑ "Turów: there is an agreement, but there are no solutions for the region," Stop Turow, February 3, 2022
- ↑ "Budujemy wartośd i bezpieczną przyszłośd: Strategia Grupy PGE na lata 2012 - 2035," PGE, 2012
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "PGE signs new contract for 450 MW Turow thermal project (Poland)," Energy News, July 21, 2014
- ↑ "Power in Europe," Platts report, Issue 675, April 28, 2014 (subscription only).
- ↑ "Energy security – new investment projects [Poland under construction,"] premiere.gov.pl, Dec. 4, 2014
- ↑ "Gigantyczny element nowego bloku już w Elektrowni Turów," powiatzgorzelecki, July 17, 2017
- ↑ "Poland's PGE positions for renewables growth, reiterates need for coal spinoff," S&P, May 27, 2020
- ↑ "Management Board’s report on activities of the PGE Capital Group for the 3-month and 9-month period: ended September 30, 2020," PGE, November 17, 2020
- ↑ "Blok w Elektrowni Turów oddany do eksploatacji," Zgorzelec, May 14, 2021
- ↑ "The power plant," Stop Turow, accessed February 2022
- ↑ "Power Unit 7 in Turów. Will there be further shutdowns?," Stop Turow, accessed January 2022
- ↑ "Turów: Trójstyk granic – węglowe wyzwanie przekuć w rozwój regionu," July 26, 2021
- ↑ "PGE likely to turn to lignite business," The Warsaw Voice, Feb. 6, 2012.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 "Turów would avert many disasters by saying goodbye to coal," Beyond Fossil Fuels, May 14, 2024
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.
