Two Ostrava companies are modernizing the Vítkovice Energy Centre
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Ostrava-based companies are at the forefront of modernization in the power generation industry – not only in the Czech Republic, but also internationally. One example of such a modernization project is the current reconstruction of the Vítkovice Energy Centre (Energocentrum), with a total cost of 138 million CZK.
The facility is a major supplier of heat for industrial premises, public buildings and households, and it is currently undergoing a complete modernization of its technologies.
The reconstruction will allow the centre to continue generating heat even after new anti-pollution legislation comes into force in 2020, cutting emissions to less than a tenth of the present level. The work is being carried out by two Ostrava-based companies: ČEZ Energo and ČEZ Energetické služby.
Pavel Cyrani, Chief Sales and Strategy Officer for Czech energy giant ČEZ, explained: “Power generation is currently experiencing its greatest technical revolution in the past five decades. The industry is shifting towards smaller, more eco-friendly generation units combined with smart solutions. The ČEZ ESCO Group is the market leader not only in the Czech Republic, but in the whole of Central Europe. And companies from Ostrava are the foundations of our success.”
The centre’s two existing coal-fired boilers (producing a total 182 MW) will cease to comply with legal emissions limits in 2020. They are being replaced by three gas-fired boilers with cogeneration units.
This new, environmentally friendly solution will achieve major reductions in emissions of a range of pollutants – sulphur (410 tonnes, i.e. 100%), nitrogen oxides (228 tonnes, 93%), solid pollutants (5.8 tonnes, 96%), and carbon dioxide (109 000 tonnes, 81%).
The centre’ manager Martin Řepišťák gave more details: “We had a number of options – including reconstructing the existing coal-fired boilers or building a new coal-fired unit. However, we eventually chose the most eco-friendly option – which is also the most economical. It will help us to reduce our environmental footprint while also ensuring that we keep costs low for our customers.”