Ulaanbaatar-4 power station
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Ulaanbaatar-4 power station is an operating power station of at least 789-megawatts (MW) in Ulaanbaatar, Bayangol, Mongolia with multiple units, some of which are not currently operating. It is also known as Ulaanbaatar Thermal Power Plant No. 4, Power Plant Four, Ulaanbaatar-4 Thermal Power Plant, ДЦС-4.
Location
Table 1: Project-level location details
| Plant name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
|---|---|---|
| Ulaanbaatar-4 power station | Ulaanbaatar, Bayangol, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia | 47.8938, 106.8036 (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, Unit 5, Unit 6, Unit 7, Unit 8: 47.8938, 106.8036
Project Details
Table 2: Unit-level details
| Unit name | Status | Fuel(s) | Capacity (MW) | Technology | Start year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | operating | coal: subbituminous | 173 | subcritical | 1981 |
| Unit 2 | operating | coal: subbituminous | 111 | subcritical | 1981 |
| Unit 3 | operating | coal: subbituminous | 110 | subcritical | 1983 |
| Unit 4 | operating | coal: subbituminous | 110 | subcritical | 1984 |
| Unit 5 | operating | coal: subbituminous | 80 | subcritical | 1989 |
| Unit 6 | operating | coal: subbituminous | 80 | subcritical | 1989 |
| Unit 7 | operating | coal: subbituminous | 125 | subcritical | 2015 |
| Unit 8 | cancelled | coal: subbituminous | 210 | subcritical | – |
Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details
| Unit name | Owner | Parent |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | Thermal Power Plant-4 SSH Co [100%] | Thermal Power Plant-4 SSH Co [100.0%] |
| Unit 2 | Thermal Power Plant-4 SSH Co [100%] | Thermal Power Plant-4 SSH Co [100.0%] |
| Unit 3 | Thermal Power Plant-4 SSH Co [100%] | Thermal Power Plant-4 SSH Co [100.0%] |
| Unit 4 | Thermal Power Plant-4 SSH Co [100%] | Thermal Power Plant-4 SSH Co [100.0%] |
| Unit 5 | Thermal Power Plant-4 SSH Co [100%] | Thermal Power Plant-4 SSH Co [100.0%] |
| Unit 6 | Thermal Power Plant-4 SSH Co [100%] | Thermal Power Plant-4 SSH Co [100.0%] |
| Unit 7 | Thermal Power Plant-4 SSH Co [100%] | Thermal Power Plant-4 SSH Co [100.0%] |
| Unit 8 | Thermal Power Plant-4 SSH Co [100%] | Thermal Power Plant-4 SSH Co [100.0%] |
Project-level coal details
- Coal source(s): Baganuur and Shivee Ovoo coal mines
Background
The first six units of the power station have capacities of 80 to 110 MW each, and were built between 1981 and 1989. The units supply 70 percent of the power and 60 percent of the heat for Ulaanbaatar. Germany’s KfW funded the refurbishment of four of the power station's six Russian-made turbines.[1][2]
In 2015, a new 125 MW unit was added with a $40 million loan from Japan’s Bank for International Cooperation.[3][4][5]
As of May 2022, it was the largest power plant in Mongolia.[6]
In March 2024, it was reported that TPP-4 was the largest consumer of water in Mongolia's energy sector in 2023.[7]
Expansion (Unit 8)
The foundation for a new 210 MW addition began on June 14, 2012,[8] but it was never completed.
Modernization & capacity increase
In accordance with an intergovernmental agreement between Mongolia and the Russian Federation, four turbo-generators at Ulaanbaatar-4 power station were upgraded and connected to the Central Energy System for a total of US$93 million. As a result of the expansion, the installed capacity of the coal-fired thermal power plant reportedly increased by 89 MW to 789 MW.[9] The Russian Development Bank (VEB) provided a US$20 million loan to help cover costs of the modernization.[10]
A Government project page updated in October 2020 noted that a renovation project was being implemented and could increase unit capacity by 20-23 MW.[11]
Opposition
In January 2017, an estimated 7,000 people wore air masks and gas masks underneath thick winter hats in subzero temperatures to protest the Ulaanbaatar power plant in Mongolia. They held black balloons and protest signs that said, “Wake up and smell the smog.” UNICEF even reported in 2016 that “Ulaanbaatar was one of the 10 most polluted cities in the world,” with children suffering lung issues.[12]
In June 2017, the CEE Bankwatch Network also released a report, urging Mongolia to rethink its energy sector in Ulaanbaatar. Citing high risks for pollution and respiration issues, Bankwatch urged civil societies to engage with national decision-makers to demand current energy and infrastructure policies be strategic environmental assessments.[13]
On January 10, 2019, more than 20,000 Mongolians stood in bone-chilling cold to rail against their government in Sukhbaatar square in the center of the capital. They protested against the horrendous air quality in Ulaanbaatar, since citizens are forced to burn coal for heat in villages. Citizens cite political corruption as a reason for the persistent lack of action by the government.[14]
Articles and Resources
References
- ↑ "Ulaanbaatar TES-4 CHP Power Plant Mongolia," Global Energy Observatory, accessed August 2014.
- ↑ "Increasing electricity capacity key to meeting growing demand in Mongolia's energy sector," Oxford Report, 2015
- ↑ "Mongolia's energy sector," Bankwatch, April 15, 2017.
- ↑ "With much undiscovered potential in Mongolia's energy sector, government laying the groundwork for future development," Oxford Report, 2015.
- ↑ "Mongolia Third National Communication," UNFCCC, October 14, 2018.
- ↑ "Ural Federal University: University Specialists Involved In The Mongolian Modernization Of The Energy Sector," India Education Diary, May 24, 2022.
- ↑ "Thermal power station no. 4 named biggest water consumer in energy sector," The UB Post, March 22, 2024
- ↑ "New Thermal Substation to be Built Next to the IV Thermal Power Plant, Ulaanbaatar," InfoMongolia.com, June 15, 2012.
- ↑ "Mongolia starts to supply 98 percent of power with domestic sources," Monstame, January 11, 2021.
- ↑ Annual Report 2015, Russian Development Bank, 2015
- ↑ "“Дулааны 4 дүгээр цахилгаан станц” ТӨХК-ийн Турбоагрегат №1- 4-ын шинэчлэлтийн төсөл," Mongolian Government, accessed January 2022
- ↑ "In frigid cold, Mongolians stand in protest of air pollution," The Washington Post, Grace Brown, January 28, 2017.
- ↑ "Mongolia’s Energy Sector: Time for a rethink," CEE Bankwatch Network, June 2017.
- ↑ "Mongolians are getting angry about corruption," The Economist, January 19, 2019.
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.
