A desulfurization plant was put into trial operation in TENT Obrenovac

OBRENOVAC – The plant for flue gas desulfurization on four units at the Nikola Tesla A thermal power plant in Obrenovac was officially put into trial operation today.

This project is worth 215 million euros and was financed by a loan from the Japanese Agency for International Cooperation.

The Minister of Mining and Energy, Dubravka Đedović Handanović, pointed out that with this plant, emissions of sulfur oxides are reduced by 30 percent, while emissions of powdery substances will also be significantly reduced.

“Obrenovac, Belgrade and the surrounding area will have significantly better air quality.” The thermal power plant can now be compared to any in Europe and the world,” said the minister.

Desulfurization is carried out by a wet process that uses lime, and the product will be gypsum, which will contribute to the development of the circular economy, while EPS representatives believe that the annual production of gypsum will be 500 million tons.

Đedović Handanović said that the creation of gypsum will contribute to additional income for our country.

She added that this project is the result of the synergy of Japanese and Serbian experts.

The Minister of Environmental Protection, Irena Vujović, believes that this is the largest ecological project in this part of Europe.

Vujović said that this plant will solve the problem of air pollution, and at the same time, the working life of the power plant will be extended.

“This project is a key success for the improvement of the environment,” Vujović said, noting that the most modern Japanese technology was used and that everything was done according to European and world standards.

She pointed out that environmental protection is a priority in the work of the government and expects that it will continue when the new executive authority is formed, reports Tanjug.

Acting EPS director Dušan Živković says that with the construction of this facility, emissions of harmful gases have been brought into line with European standards and domestic regulations.

“We reduced the emission of sulfur dioxide to below 200 mg per cubic meter compared to the legally prescribed below 400 mg, while the emission of powdery substances was reduced to below 20 mg per cubic meter”, said Živković and reminded that the same plant is being built in TENT B, and that the end of the works is expected next year.

This will put an end to harmful gas emissions at all large EPS plants, Živković pointed out.

The ceremony was also attended by representatives of Japan, Taniguchi Noriaki, Deputy General Director of Mitsubishi Power, and Osaka Yasushi, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

Osaka, who is visiting Serbia for the first time, pointed out that the plant incorporates Japanese technology and knowledge that was acquired when his country was fighting against pollution.

He supported Serbia’s path towards decarbonization and expressed his belief that this project will significantly affect people’s health.

“This project is a symbol of friendship between our two countries, as was the case with the yellow buses from Japan that ended last year,” Osaka said.