Three-fold drop in sulphur emissions at Narva Elektrijaamad

Production of electricity from oil shale became cleaner after the equipment was installed, while the production capabilities of Estonia's major electricity generating undertaking will also be preserved at current levels in the future.

Eesti Energia installed sulphur treatment equipment for four energy blocks of Eesti Elektrijaam, which help the Group meet the stricter environmental requirements enforced this year – besides significantly reducing the amount of sulphur emissions.

"Without the sulphur treatment equipment, the output of Narva Elektrijaamad would have dropped by 2.5 times starting this year but, due to the new treatment equipment, the production capabilities of Narva Elektrijaamad will remain at the current level of 9 TWh per year. Moreover, it will allow us to continue producing electricity after 2016 when the environmental rules of the European Union will once again be made stricter," said Raine Pajo, Member of the Management Board of Eesti Energia, Electricity and Heat Production Division.

According to Pajo, Narva Elektrijaamad made significant progress in alleviating the environmental impact of electricity generation. "Besides the sulphur emissions, the emission levels of carbon dioxide and oil shale ashes have also significantly dropped. Partial replacement of oil shale with biofuels in the combined heat and power block of AS Balti Elektrijaam contributed to this," added Pajo. It was due to the use of biofuels that Narva Elektrijaamad produced approximately 180,000 tonnes less oil shale ash, and roughly 400,000 tonnes less oil shale was used for electricity generation. A total of 380,000 tonnes less carbon dioxide was emitted into the air.

In order to further reduce sulphur emissions, next year Narva Elektrijaamad will introduce additional lime dosage equipment which ensures the required capture levels of sulphur dioxide irrespective of the quality of the oil shale burnt. Narva Elektrijaamad plans to launch the lime dosage system in November of this year. The energy blocks will also be furnished with nitric oxide abatement equipment by 2016.

Estonia committed, upon accession to the European Union, to reduce the emission levels of sulphur dioxide by approximately 2.5 times – up to 25,000 tonnes per year – as from January this year. Eesti Energia Narva Elektrijaamad started to work in the name of maintaining its production capabilities already back in 2007, and in the course of the project, which lasted for about five years, the old energy blocks of Eesti Elektrijaamad were furnished with unique sulphur treatment equipment. The total cost of equipping the energy blocks of Eesti Elektrijaam with sulphur treatment equipment was EUR 110 million.