TEŠ Power Plant and Premogovnik Coal Mine Environmental Impact Assessment Addendum

96 Pages·2009·2.47 MB·English

by  Maurizio Piazzardi

TEŠ Power Plant and Premogovnik Coal Mine

Environmental Impact Assessment Addendum

October 2009
TES Power Plant and PV Coal Mine

Environmental Impact Assessment Addendum

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION 7
1. LOCATION 9
2. PROJECT DESCRIPTION 10
2.1 Thermal power plant Šoštanj (TEŠ) and planned Unit 6 10
2.2 Coal mine Velenje (PV) 10
2.2.1 Underground facilities 10
2.2.2 Coal Basin Geology 12
2.2.3 Hydrogeology 15
2.2.4 Mining Method 15
2.2.5 Subsidence and Surface Effects 18
2.3 Transmission lines 19
3. ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT 21
3.1 Geomorphologic and geologic characteristics 21
3.1.1 Present situation 21
3.1.2 Environmental impact 22
3.1.3 Mitigation measures 23
3.1.4 Monitoring 24
3.2 Groundwater 24
3.2.1 Present situation 24
3.2.2 Environmental impact 25
3.2.3 Mitigation measures 26
3.2.4 Monitoring 26
3.3 Surface waters 26
3.3.1 Present situation 26
3.3.2 Environmental impact 33
3.3.3 Mitigation measures 34
3.3.4 Monitoring 34
3.4 Soils 34
3.4.1 Present situation 34
3.4.2 Environmental impact 35
3.4.3 Mitigation measures 36
3.4.4 Monitoring 36
3.5 Air quality 36
3.5.1 Present situation 36
3.5.2 Environmental impact 41
3.5.3 Mitigation measures 42
3.5.4 Monitoring 42
3.6 Noise and vibrations 43
3.6.1 Present situation 43

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3.6.2 Environmental impact 47
3.6.3 Mitigation measures 47
3.6.4 Monitoring 47
3.7 Flora, fauna, vegetation and habitat types 48
3.7.1 Present situation 48
3.7.2 Environmental impact 48
3.7.3 Mitigation measures 49
3.7.4 Monitoring 49
3.8 Nature protection areas and cultural heritage 49
3.8.1 Present situation 49
3.8.2 Environmental impact 52
3.8.3 Mitigation measures 52
3.8.4 Monitoring 53
3.9 Landscape properties and visual qualities 53
3.9.1 Present situation 53
3.9.2 Environmental impact 54
3.9.3 Mitigation measures 55
3.9.4 Monitoring 55
3.10 Settlement 55
3.10.1 Present situation 55
3.10.2 Social impact 57
3.10.3 Mitigating measures 58
3.10.4 Monitoring 58
3.11 Economy 58
3.11.1 Present situation 58
3.11.2 Social impact 59
3.11.3 Mitigating measures 60
3.11.4 Monitoring 60
3.12 Quality of living 60
3.12.1 Present situation 60
3.12.2 Social impact 62
3.12.3 Mitigation measures 64
3.12.4 Monitoring 64
4. CONFIRMATION THAT THE POWER PLANT AND ASSOCIATED OPERATIONS (INCLUDING
MINES) ARE DESIGNED TO MEET EU IPPC REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SECTOR 65
4.1 Preliminary BAT Assessment of planned operations at the TPP Šoštanj 65
4.1.1 Reference document on BAT for large combustion plants 65
4.1.2 Reference document on BAT for industrial cooling systems 85
4.1.3 Reference document on BAT for emissions from storage 86
4.2 BAT Assessment of operations for coal mine Velenje 87
5. ASSESSMENT OF ALTERNATIVES AND WHETHER THE PROJECT IS CARBON CAPTURE
READY AND IS CARBON CAPTURE FEASIBLE IN THIS AREA 88
5.1 Introduction 88

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5.2 CCS project in TPP Šoštanj 89
5.3 Conclusions 94
6. CUMULATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS OF THE PROJECT 95
7. LIST OF REFERENCES 96

List of tables
Table 1: Overview of existing EIA Report for construction and operation of Unit 6 in TPP Šoštanj, Ref. no.
1973 (EIMV, July 2009) ......................................................................................................................................8
Table 2: Capacity of transmission lines connecting TEŠ to the transmission grid and the current total
production capacity of the TEŠ units ............................................................................................................... 20
Table 3: Average content of heavy metals As, Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, Se, V and Zn in Šalek Valley groundwater
(Justin 2005) .................................................................................................................................................... 25
Table 4: Lake Druţmirje development in years 2000-2008 (source: PV, 2009).............................................. 28
Table 5: Results of physical-chemical anayses of the Paka River, 29 - 05 – 2008 (source: ERICo, 2009) ... 28
Table 6: Results of physical- chemical research river edimenrt samples of the Paka River: 05-12-2008
(source: ERICo, 2009) ..................................................................................................................................... 29
Table 7: Annual average value of pararneters on sample locations Pesje and upstream from TEŠ, and
momentary values in tributaries - year 2008 (source: ERICo, 2009) .............................................................. 29
Table 8: The results of samples analysis of rainfall - wastewater effluent into the Paka River (NOP -
23.06.2009) (source: ERICo, 2009) ................................................................................................................. 31
Table 9: Sample analysis of Wastewater from pumping station K — 130 Preloge and pumping station K
— 120 Škale, August 2009 .............................................................................................................................. 32
Table 10: Parameters of gas at gas outflow from the ventilation station Pesje.............................................. 38
Table 11: Total dust emission concentrations from the ventilation station Pesje ............................................ 38
Table 12: Emission concentrations of VOC from the ventilation station Pesje ............................................... 38
Table 13: Emission concentrations of volatile gasses CO, CO2, O2, NOx, SO, DMS, CH4, H2, H2S from
the ventilation station Pesje ............................................................................................................................. 39
Table 14: Emission concentrations of heavy metals Pb, Cr, Ni, Cd, As, Cu and Tl from the ventilation
station Pesje .................................................................................................................................................... 39
Table 15: Emission concentrations of heavy metals Hg, Se, Sb, Sn, Pd, Mn and V fom the ventilation
station Pesje .................................................................................................................................................... 39
Table 16: Parameters of gas at gas outflow from the ventilation station Škale............................................... 39
Table 17: Total dust emission concentrations from the ventilation station Škale ............................................ 40
Table 18: Emission concentrations of VOC from the ventilation station Škale ............................................... 40
Table 19: Emission concentrations of volatile gasses CO, CO2, O2, NOx, SO, DMS, CH4, H2, H2S fom
the ventilation station Škale ............................................................................................................................. 40
Table 20: Emission concentrations of heavy metals Pb, Cr, Ni, Cd, As, Cu and Tl fom the ventilation
station Škale .................................................................................................................................................... 40
Table 21: Emission concentrations of heavy metals Hg, Se, Sb, Sn, Pd, Mn and V fom the ventilation
station Škale .................................................................................................................................................... 40
Table 22: Limit values of noise indicators Lday, Levening, Lnight, Ldaily caused by a noise source
(Decree on limit values of noise indicators in environment (Official Gazette RS, No. 105/05, 34/08) ............ 43
Table 23: Noise peak limit values L1 caused by a noise source (Decree on limit values of noise indicators
in environment (Official Gazette RS, NO. 105/05, 34/08) ............................................................................... 43
Table 24: Limit values of noise indicators Lnight, Ldaily for noise protection level areas (Decree on limit
values of noise indicators in environment (Official Gazette RS, NO. 105/05, 34/08) ...................................... 43
Table 25: Noise measurements on locations 1,2 and 3 .................................................................................. 44
Table 26: Noise measurements on locations 4, 5 and 6 ................................................................................. 45
Table 27: Noise measurements on locations 7,8 and 9 .................................................................................. 46
Table 28: BAT Emission Values for SO2 ......................................................................................................... 66
Table 29: BAT Emission Values for NOx ......................................................................................................... 66
Table 30: BAT Emission Values for Dust ........................................................................................................ 67
Table 31: Estimated emissions of sulphur dioxide in different operational loads of Units 3, 4, 5, 6 and the
gas turbine ....................................................................................................................................................... 68

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Table 32: Estimated emissions of sulphur diokside in different operational loads of Units 3, 4, 5, 6 and the
gas turbine ....................................................................................................................................................... 72
Table 33: Estimated emissions of particulate matter in different operational loads of Units 3, 4, 5, 6 and
the gas turbine ................................................................................................................................................. 76
Table 34: Estimated emissions of carbon monoxide in different operational loads of Units 3, 4, 5, 6 and
the gas turbine ................................................................................................................................................. 79
Table 35: Estimated HCl emissions in different operational loads of Units 3, 4, 5 and 6 ................................ 82
Table 36: Estimated HF emissions in different operational loads of Units 3, 4, 5 and 6 ................................. 83
Table 37: Estimated HF emissions in different operational loads of Unit 6 ..................................................... 85
Table 38: Estimated emissions of CO into the atmosphere in the period from 2009 to 2027 ....................... 89
2
Table 39: Specific CO emissions for net electrical energy in the period from 2009 to 2027 (kg/kWhe net) .. 90
2
Table 40: Specific CO emissions for gross electrical energy in the period from 2009 to 2027
2
(kg/kWhe gross) ............................................................................................................................................... 90

List of Figures
Figure 1: Aerial view of Šalek Valley (Source: Geopedia 2009) ........................................................................9
Figure 2: Conveyor belt equipped roadway ..................................................................................................... 11
Figure 3: Suspended monorail ........................................................................................................................ 11
Figure 4: Chair lift for miners transport ............................................................................................................ 11
Figure 5: Coal seam, longwall face and sand layer layout .............................................................................. 12
Figure 6: Mining area development overview .................................................................................................. 16
Figure 7: Sequence of exploitation by floors (source PV) ............................................................................... 16
Figure 8: Drivage of gateway with roadheader; steel arches and wood lining ................................................ 17
Figure 9: Overview of the longwall face ........................................................................................................... 18
Figure 10: Subsidence prevision up to 2025 ................................................................................................... 18
Figure 11: The Coal mine Velenje concession area ........................................................................................ 19
Figure 12: Electric power transmission grid in Slovenia .................................................................................. 20
Figure 13 Cross section through the coal layer in the Šalek Valley ................................................................ 21
Figure 14 Plan view and Cross section of the subsidence restoration area ................................................... 22
Figure 15: Forecast of the lake development until 2025 (Source: PV, 2009) .................................................. 23
Figure 16: Protected groundwater areas and locations of potable water pumping stations ........................... 25
Figure 17: Chemical state of surface waters (source: ERICo, 2009) .............................................................. 30
Figure 18: Effluents to the Paka River (source: PV Invest, 2009) ................................................................... 32
Figure 19: Central Water Treatment Plant of the Šalek Valley........................................................................ 33
Figure 20: Vertical exchange of air below the subsidence inversion (source: Environmental Agency of RS) 37
Figure 21: Air flow in weather conditions with strong southern wind (source: Environmental Agency of RS) 37
Figure 22: Air flow in weather conditions with strong northern wind (source: Environmental Agency of RS) . 38
Figure 23: Noise measurement locations ........................................................................................................ 45
Figure 24: Nature protection areas (source: Atlas of Environment, 2009) ...................................................... 50
Figure 25: Cultural heritage (source: Register of Cultural heritage, http://giskd.situla.org/, 2009) ................. 51
Figure 26: A view of the Coal mine Velenje with coal pile and TEŠ in the background ................................. 53
Figure 27: Estimated emissions of sulphur dioxide in TPP in the period 2008 – 2050 ................................... 71
Figure 28: Estimated emissions of nitrogen oxides in TPP in the period 2008 – 2050 ................................... 75
Figure 29: Estimated emissions of dust in TPP in the period 2008 – 2050 ..................................................... 78
Figure 30: Estimated emissions of carbon monoxide in TPP in the period 2008 - 2050 ................................ 81
Figure 31: The flange at the injection well in Coal mine Velenje ..................................................................... 92
Figure 32: Part of the equipment for experiment of CO injection into geological formation pliocene ............ 92
2
Figure 33: CO system supply ......................................................................................................................... 93
2

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Introduction
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (the ―EBRD‖ or the ―Bank‖) has been
requested by Šoštanj Thermal Power Plant, a lignite fired power plant, to partially finance the
modernization project of the Power Plant. The strategic plan for development of TEŠ comprises
the replacement of Units 1-3 and part of unit 4 (which will remain as cold reserve) with a new
600 MWe unit, referred to as Unit 6, within the boundaries of the Šoštanj Thermal Power Plant
in Slovenia, and the modernization of the existing Unit 5.
The Šoštanj Thermal Power plant is unique, due to the operation of an underground lignite coal
mine, which is also owned by HSE the largest Slovenian energy company. This mine is an
associated facility to the project and therefore falls under the Bank‘s Environmental and Social
Due Diligence requirements. Given that the new unit will replace the existing units, the mining
operations are to remain the same and no new mines are to be developed and there will be no
significant expansion of the existing mining operation. Nevertheless, the ESIA for the power
plant needs to have adequate information on the planned mining operations.
In line with the Bank‘s Environmental and Social Policy (2008) the Project has been defined as
the power plant and the associated facilities at the existing power plant (ash handling systems,
cooling systems, etc) and lignite mine. The area of influence of the project includes operations
of the Company and the associated mine. The project is an A level project for the Bank,
requiring a full Environmental Social Impact Assessment (ESIA).
A Feasibility Study and Slovenian EIA are available for the new power plant unit. The Slovenian
EIA focused on Unit 6 and existing operation at the power plant. A preliminary gap analysis has
indicated that the Slovenian EIA needed to be supplemented with an EIA Addendum including
social appraisal to ensure compliance with the Bank‘s requirements for such projects. In
addition, limited information was available on operation of the mine, cumulative impacts, social
issues, or public consultation.
Initial review of the documentation by the Bank, has identified a number of issues that needed to
be further addressed, namely:
construction phase impacts of the plant associated infrastructure (transmission lines,
etc),
identification and assessment of potential social impacts, including the development of
required mitigation and monitoring measures,
identification and assessment of potential issues and impacts related with occupational
health and safety, labor, including grievance procedures for employee and non-
employee (contractor) workers, community health and emergency preparedness
issues,
confirmation that the power plant and associated operations (including the mine) are
designed to meet EU IPPC requirements for the sector,
assessment of alternatives and whether the project is carbon capture ready and is
carbon capture feasible to implement in this area (i.e. top level review of geological
conditions of the area to assess whether carbon storage is at all possible).
review of cumulative impacts from the power plant and mine taking consideration of the
Project in its entirety as well as of the existing and planned operations at the power
plant and with assessment of any benefits associated with operating the new unit plant
in terms of emissions and carbon reduction.
An overview of existing EIA Report for construction and operation of Unit 6 in TPP Šoštanj, Ref.
no. 1973 (EIMV, July 2009) is shown in table 1.

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Table 1: Overview of existing EIA Report for construction and operation of Unit 6 in TPP Šoštanj, Ref. no. 1973 (EIMV, July 2009)

x described * with mitigation measures O necessary Ø not necessary
Based on the gap analysis, the present Environmental and Impact Assessment addendum has
been developed including the mentioned issues, as well as the environmental and social
impacts associated with the power plant and the mine operations.
The EIA addendum reviews and addresses environmental and social impacts in compliance
with the EBRD‘s PR‘s.

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1. Location
The Šoštanj Thermal Power Plant (TEŠ) and the Coal Mine Velenje (PV) are located in Šaleška
Valley in the north-eastern part of Slovenija. The studied area lies within two municipalities:
Municipality of Šoštanj and Municipality of Velenje.

Figure 1: Aerial view of Šalek Valley (Source: Geopedia 2009)

The central part of the studied area is represented by the River Paka catchment area between
the eastern branch of Savinja Alps, foothills of Karavanke and the western parts of Paški
Kozjak.
The Šaleška valley can be classified geologically as a tectonic depression that had been sinking
between the Šoštanj, Velenje and Smrekovec faults. The valley was shaped to its current
dimensions by sinking and simultaneous accretion of sediments, part of the mass locked in it
being the coal seam.

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2. Project description
2.1 Thermal power plant Šoštanj (TEŠ) and planned Unit 6
The in depth description of the Thermal power plant Šoštanj and the planned Unit 6 is given in
the existing EIA Report for construction and operation of Unit 6 in TPP Šoštanj, Ref. no. 1973
(EIMV, July 2009), Chapter 3.

2.2 Coal mine Velenje (PV)
Velenje Coal Mine is one of the largest mine site in Europe; it is located in the Šaleška Valley in
the north part of Slovenia, close to the town of Velenje; the coal basin covers an area of about
21 km2.The mine has been operating for 130 years and so far more than 200 million tons of
lignite has been yielded. The lignite is entirely supplied to the nearby Thermal Power Plant of
Šoštanj (TEŠ), with a production of approximately 4.0 million ton of coal/year.
The mine layout can be resumed as follows:
1. access entries from the surface through vertical shafts (two for personnel access and fresh
air intake, two for forced exhaust air return), and two dipping drifts used for coal transport
from underground to the surface by conveyor belts;
2. two underground structure roadways (for fresh air intake and for air return); the roadways
are also used for coal transport by conveyor belts, personnel and supplies transportation,
and for the transport of technological installations (power cables, industrial and exhaust
water pipes, etc.);
3. two gateways to access to working sections; the average daily advance of the new-built
gateway depends on several parameters and it ranges from 5 m to 6 m per day. Gateways
cumulative coal average daily production is between 350 and 800 tons;
4. Longwall panels.
Galleries, shafts stations, pumping stations and the other ancillary facilities are also part of the
mine layout. Galleries cross section varies, according the planned life and the utilization, from
16 m2 up to 20 m2; underground drifts are used to link the different production levels.
2.2.1 Underground facilities
The Coal mine Velenje underground facilities are at top level from the technological point of
view.
The material needed for mining is transported to the mine through the main shaft; mine
transport is organized by classic mine rail transport and with hanging rail transport (monorail)
used for long transportations and movements in not-horizontal parts of the mine.
Main facilities present in the coal mine are:
 Conveyor belts transporting the coal from the face up to the surface; the conveyors are
installed in dedicated roadways having an overall capacity of 25,000 tons/day;
 Suspended monorail for equipment and supplies transportation;
 Car rail system for material transportation;
 Chair lift for miners movement between different levels;
 Ventilation fans with total flow capacity 27,000 m3/min;
 Pumping stations for water drainage, with an overall capacity of 0.6 m3/ton of coal.

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Figure 2: Conveyor belt equipped roadway

Figure 3: Suspended monorail

Figure 4: Chair lift for miners transport
The daily advance of the face, depending by the mining conditions, is comprised between 4.0
and 5.50 m per day, with a production rate between 5,000 and 11,000 ton/day per face;
presently, the Coal mine Velenje is operating with two long-wall faces located in two of the three
parts of the exploitable area.
Average daily production from long-wall faces is in the order of 18,000 tons per day, with an
average calorific value of 10–12 MJ/kg (lignite). Daily advance and production strongly depend

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