Rovinari unit 7, Romania
CANCELLED: The Romanian Government has been negotiating for several years with the Chinese Government to build a new 600 MW unit at the lignite power plant in Rovinari, Gorj County. The new unit would be built on the site of Units 1 and 2, currently decommissioned. A new up and running plant would pollute the whole region for at least 40 more years, a coal plant’s average lifespan.
Stay informed
We closely follow international public finance and bring critical updates from the ground.
Background
In December 2012 Oltenia Energy Complex (state owned company) signed a memorandum of understanding with China Huadian Engineering Co. Ltd for setting up a project company and the construction of a 500 MW lignite-fired unit at Rovinari. The initial information was that the new unit would be built at an estimated cost of one billion euros. Since then, more memorandums of understanding have been signed between the Romanian and the Chinese company or the respective Governments, laying down the steps to create a Romanian-Chinese joint-venture, which would implement the project. The most recent one dates to September 2015, when it was reported that the unit would have an installed capacity of 600 MW and would cost EUR 847 million. The project team has met since them, the latest visit of a Chinese delegation to Rovinari taking place in August 2017.
In January 2013, the general manager of the Oltenia Energy Complex said the new unit will export the electricity to Austria and Turkey. China Huadian conducted a pre-feasibility study in 2014 for the construction of this unit at Rovinari, indicating the need to dismantle some of the existing infrastructure, something that would increase the costs of the project and which the representatives CE Oltenia disagreed with at the time. In addition, China Huadian Engineering Co. requested customs exemptions for equipment imported from China, demanding at the same time a long term power purchase agreement or a guaranteed price for coal, which, under European legislation, may be considered illegal state aid. China Huadian would ensure the full financing of the investment, being the main shareholder of the joint venture IPP (Independent Power Producer) that would be created and CE Oltenia would have a share of under 9%.
If the project went ahead, the new unit would be located next to the town of Rovinari, increasing existing air pollution levels from the other 4 units. The lignite would be supplied from the nearby open-pit mines – Tismana I and II, Rosia, Pinoasa, all owned by the same Oltenia Energy Complex – which would require expansion of production capacity. Extending these mines would mean clearing huge land areas, in most cases accompanied by massive deforestation.
Since 2012, Bankwatch Romania has filed a series of complaints in court, requesting the annulment of illegally issued deforestation permits and mine expansion permits which did not assess impacts on the environment. Almost all the actions have been successful in court. After an infringement procedure was initiated by the European Commission, all expansions were reassessed. However, the new permits fail to evaluate the cumulative impact of the mines, and are therefore again the subject of Bankwatch Romania court action, one of them being currently suspended. To date (May 2018) no environmental impact assessment procedure has been launched.
In short:
The existing power plant: – Part of Oltenia Energy Complex – 4 units installed every 330 MW each – Three functional units: 3, 4 and 6; unit 5 undergoing modernisation – Location: southwestern Romania, Gorj county – Year of commissioning: 1972 – Fuel used: lignite – Environmental integrated permit expired on 31.12.2017
New power plant – China Huadian + CEOltenia – 1 unit of 600 MW – Fuel: lignite (6 million tonnes per year) – Life expectancy: 40 years – Significant social and environmental impacts
Latest news
369 million euros of North Macedonia’s public money going up in smoke
Blog entry | 30 January, 2023North Macedonia’s government, through the state-owned energy production company AD ESM, has spent hundreds of millions of euros on imports of coal, heavy oil and fossil gas to keep the country’s fragile energy system going during the energy crisis. The result is a significant increase in emissions of air pollutants and serious damage to the environment and public health.
Read moreRomania U-turns on decarbonisation to expand a lignite mine in Gorj and wipe out 106 hectares of forest
Press release | 13 January, 2023The Romanian government is again acting contrary to its EU commitments.
Read moreLet the sunshine in: how a coal region in North Macedonia can switch to sustainable heating
Blog entry | 21 December, 2022The government in North Macedonia wants to link the 40 year old REK Bitola power plant to the regional heating system. But cementing the dependence on fossil fuels would be reckless. Instead, a new study finds that fitting houses in Bitola with air conditioning and solar panels could keep people warm, cut air pollution and even shield against increasingly volatile energy prices. Such households forming energy communities, the study shows, could not only lower initial investments but even generate them some income.
Read moreRelated publications
Sostanj power plant in Slovenia: Against EU laws and policies
Briefing | 21 November, 2011 | Download PDFThe project is a plan to construct a sixth unit at the Sostanj lignite-fired power plant in Slovenia. It has received significant backing from European public banks adding up to more than 50% of the overall costs of the investment. Doubts about the economic viability of the project, alleged irregularities in the tendering procedure and its climate impact caused strong opposition to the project within Slovenia. A recent study conducted by an independent consultant as well as two complaints submitted to the European Commission by NGOs bring new arguments against TES 6.
EBRD support for Kolubara paving the “ash way” for development of Serbia
Briefing | 21 November, 2011 | Download PDFLinked to a slew of controversies, the Kolubara lignite mining project in Serbia is in line for support from European public banks. Corruption allegations, pollution at local level, irregularities in resettlement of local populations and not to forget a climate damaging approach to energy investments should be reason enough to find alternative options. An updated version of this briefing is available here (May 12, 2012).
Letter to EBRD re complaints against Sostanj power plant project
Advocacy letter | 16 November, 2011 | Download PDFThe letter notifies the EBRD of two complaints filed against the Sostanj lignite thermal power plant unit 6 project and calls on the EBRD to also undertake a thorough review of its involvement in the project, as it seems that when approving the project, some relevant facts were omitted by the bank.
