In Zabrze, Fortum Power and Heat Polska UL, a subsidiary of Finland-headed energy major Fortum Oyj, has inaugurated its new 225 MW multi-fuel combined heat and power (CHP) plant. Held on September 20, the event was officiated by local and regional dignitaries, staff, suppliers and other invited guests. Replacing outdated coal-fired units, the new state-of-the-art facility is the largest investment to date in Poland by Fortum.
Announced by Fortum in early 2015, the new combined heat and power (CHP) plant complies with high environmental and Best Available Technology (BAT) standards. The plant will provide district heating to some 70 000 households in Zabrze and Bytom, in southeastern Poland enhancing the two cities’ energy production efficiency.
The new CHP plant has a production capacity of 225 MW and will replace the outdated, purely coal-fired units in Zabrze. The annual production is estimated to amount to approximately 730 GWh of electricity and 550 GWh of heat.
Initially the plant will be fuelled by refuse-derived fuel (RDF) and coal, but it can also use a mixture of these fuels and biomass. The amount of RDF can be up to half of the total fuel usage. By taking advantage of locally sourced waste for RDF, the facility will concurrently contribute to improved waste management in the region by providing an energy recovery solution instead of landfilling for municipal waste.
The EUR 200 million investment also includes a 10 km long heat pipe connection between Zabrze and Bytom and new peak boilers in both cities.
