European Policy On Air Pollutants And Basic Thermal Power Plants In Bulgaria

摘要

The aim of the paper is to discuss the basic Bulgarian Thermal Power Plants (TPPs) operating opportunities in conditions of the EU present and future air pollution restrictions, not taking into account the long-term “Green deal” implementation. These TPPs are determining in Bulgarian energy production sector, using the only local available energy source - low calorific lignite with high sulfur and ash content, producing great quantity greenhouse and acidic gases, ash and dust, containing heavy metals, poisonous nonmetals etc. The TPPs are quite different in age - the energy blocks of public, TPP (Maritsa East -2) was put into operation in period from 1966 to 1995, in very different ecology requirements. The other two, private (American owned) TPPs are much younger, entered into operation in 2009 and 2011 for “Contour Global Maritsa East 3 TPP” and “AES Galabovo TPP” respectively. From ecological point of view, these TPPs are similar, using same fuel, combustion technology and cleaning equipment - ESP and wet flue-gas desulfurization. The three TPPs are the keystones of electrical energy production, but the public one plays significant social role, keeping the low energy price and giving well-paid job for lot of people in the region. Could they survive ecologically and financially† The future and the geo-political moods will show. Taking into account, that the operating of the only Bulgarian NPP and natural gas supply are closely depended on Russia policy, the Bulgarian energy sector could not expect the best future.