Emission Controls at Kosova’s Thermal Power Plants, Current and Future Capabilities : [presentation given February 22, 2010]

The operation of Kosova’s Thermal Power Plants (TPP) from the time of their construction had the goal of supplying of Kosova with electricity and also sometimes exporting to parts of old Yugoslavia. This contributed significantly in developing the Kosova’s economy but as with all coal-fired power plants it added to the problem of environmental pollution. This project provides great assistance for promoting environmental protection and assesses the best new power plant technologies available. This capstone project assesses the levels of atmospheric emissions (dust, SO2, CO2 and NOx) from the existing TPP’s in Kosova and the projections of future emissions until the existing plants are decommissioned and new power plants becomes operational. Also the project addresses the necessary measures to reduce the pollution and analyze the impact of atmospheric emissions on the environment from the proposed new TPP, which is planned to be constructed in Kosova in the next few years. In order to represent a range of long-term planning option, this capstone project discusses the above from the perspective of four broad scenarios for the period 2010-2030. These four scenarios are: Scenario 1 – the existing TPP (Kosova A and B) with no new generation capacity and without abatement measures; Scenario 2 – the existing TPP with abatement measures (upgrading the electrostatic precipitators - ESP, only for TPP B), construction of the new HPP Zhur 293MW and new TPP Kosova C with capacity 1x500MW; Scenario 3 – the existing TPP with abatement measures (upgrading the electrostatic precipitators - ESP, only for TPP B), construction of the new HPP Zhur 293MW and new TPP Kosova C with capacity 2x500MW; and 7 Scenario 4 – the existing TPP with abatement measures (upgrading the electrostatic precipitators - ESP, only for TPP B), construction of the new HPP Zhur 293MW and new TPP Kosova C with capacity 4x500MW. In all four scenarios it is assumed that TPP Kosova A will be decommissioned by 2017. From the financial analysis of four scenarios presented in the capstone, the deficit or surplus of electricity may cost or benefit a considerable amount of money. The following figure presents the potential earnings from exports (scenario 3 and 4) and potential expenses from the electricity imports (scenario 1 and 2). The total CO2 emissions for all scenarios show that intensive power generation reflects higher emissions. The consequences of extending the limits of CO2 emissions may cost the considerable expenses having in mind that the credits for CO2 in the future will be high