Fiume Santo power station

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Fiume Santo power station is an operating power station of at least 640-megawatts (MW) in Porto Torres, Sassar, Italy with multiple units, some of which are not currently operating.

Location

Table 1: Project-level location details

Plant name Location Coordinates (WGS 84)
Fiume Santo power station Porto Torres, Sassar, Italy 40.8461, 8.3068 (approximate)

The map below shows the approximate location of the power station.

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Project Details

Table 2: Unit-level details

Unit name Status Fuel(s) Capacity (MW) Technology CHP Start year Retired year
Unit 1 shelved[1] gas[1] 560[1] combined cycle[1] not found
Unit 3 operating coal - bituminous 320 subcritical 1992 2025 (planned)
Unit 4 operating coal - bituminous 320 subcritical 1993 2025 (planned)
Unit 5 cancelled coal - bituminous 410 supercritical 2016
Unit GT1 mothballed[2] heavy fuel oil[3] 40[4] gas turbine[5] not found 2005[4]
Unit GT2 mothballed[2] heavy fuel oil[3] 40[4] gas turbine[5] not found 2005[4]

CHP is an abbreviation for Combined Heat and Power. It is a technology that produces electricity and thermal energy at high efficiencies. Coal units track this information in the Captive Use section when known.

Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details

Unit name Owner Parent
Unit 1 EP Produzione SpA[6] Energetický a průmyslový holding (EPH) [100.0%]
Unit 3 EP Produzione SpA
Unit 4 EP Produzione SpA
Unit 5 EP Produzione SpA
Unit GT1 EP Produzione SpA[6] Energetický a průmyslový holding (EPH) [100.0%]
Unit GT2 EP Produzione SpA[6] Energetický a průmyslový holding (EPH) [100.0%]

Background

The Fiume Santo Power station was originally set up in 1960s to supply electricity to Sardinia and other areas. The plant has two coal-fired units, and two decommissioned fuel oil units. The two coal-fed units came into production in 1992-93 and have rated power of 320 MW to 330 MW each. The two fuel oil units came on line at the end of 2005 with a generating capacity of 40MW each.[7] The fuel oil units were shut down in December 2013 and are currently being decommissioned.[8][9]

In June 2023, Italy's Environment and Energy Security Minister reportedly stated that the country's coal plants could close by 2024, a year earlier than previously planned, if gas prices remained low.[10]

Proposed unit 5

A new coal-fired unit for Fiume Santo was proposed in 2006. In 2012, the company described its plans as follows:[7]

E.ON filed an application in January 2006, seeking permission to build a new 410MW coal group in the Fiume Santo plant. The unit was planned with a new conception called ‘Ultra super critical cycle’ to replace the two fuel oil fed groups of the station. The company applied seeking the permission of the VIA Commission (The National Environmental Impact Assessment Commission) before starting the replacement process. On 4 December, 2008 it received a favourable environmental impact assessment. The new coal group unit is expected to be operational from 2014. In addition, E.ON is also considering the use of biomass in co-combustion in the existing coal sections. The company has already submitted an application to the respective authorities and is awaiting the permit.

In mid-2013, E.ON announced that it had shelved its plans for the fifth unit at Fiume Santo.[11] However, the Sardinian regional government remained interested in developing a high-efficiency coal plant in northern Sardinia, and held talks in August 2013 with China Environmental Holding and Nord Sardegna Energia to evaluate a possible alternative project.[12]

In September 2013, the Italian Ministry of Economic Development announced it would grant E.ON a 15-month extension, allowing construction of the fifth unit to begin any time before December 2014.[13]

E.ON sells Italian holdings

In November 2013, E.ON announced that it was selling all of its Italian holdings, including the Fiume Santo plant. Initial speculation about possible buyers for the plant centered on the multinational energy giant Edison, the Chinese companies China Environmental Energy Holding e Shenzhen Energy Group, and the Sardinian-based Ottana Energia and Idro di Terni.[14]. News reports in January 2014 indicated that GDF Suez Energy might also be interested in acquiring E.ON's Italian assets, but future construction at Fiume Santo appears extremely unlikely unless E.ON can find a buyer before the end of 2014.[15]

E.ON announced 65 layoffs at the Fiume Santo plant in March 2014, provoking fears among workers that the entire plant might be closed by the end of the year.[16] In response to the layoffs, workers held a series of protest blockades at the plant entrance in March and April 2014.[17][18]

In January 2015 E.ON announced it had sold its Italian coal and gas generation assets, including the 600 MW Fiume Santo Power Station, to Czech energy company Energetický a Průmyslový Holding (EPH).[19]

In 2016 the project was formally cancelled.[20]

Gas Conversion

EPH considered a gas conversion project for units 1 & 2, which were initially planned for 2022. However, the operator has since shelved the plans.[21]

Articles and Resources

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 https://web.archive.org/web/20230127105306/https://www.qualenergia.it/articoli/sardegna-futuro-conversioni-carbone-gas-incerto/. Archived from the original on 27 January 2023. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. 2.0 2.1 (PDF) https://web.archive.org/web/20220528062532/https://assocarboni.it/assocarboni/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Bracchi.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 May 2022. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. 3.0 3.1 (PDF) https://www.mise.gov.it/images/stories/recuperi/Energia/4-10-2010-Fiume%20Santo.pdf. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 https://www.yumpu.com/it/document/read/29763020/dichiarazione-ambientale-della-centrale-di-fiume-santo-5-mb. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. 5.0 5.1 https://www.rischioindustriale.isprambiente.gov.it/seveso-query-105/stampaPDFQ/StampaModulo.php?Codice=1520. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 https://web.archive.org/web/20220816014754/https://www.epproduzione.com/it/impianti/fiume-santo. Archived from the original on 16 August 2022. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  7. 7.0 7.1 "Fiume Santo Power Station, Italy", accessed November 24, 2012.
  8. "Fiume Santo", E.ON Italia website, accessed April 2014.
  9. "Fiume Santo, i gruppi 1 e 2 sono spenti per sempre", La Nuova Sardegna, January 9, 2014.
  10. "Italy could abandon coal by 2024, environment minister says," Reuters, June 5, 2023
  11. "E.On, oggi sciopero. A rischio bonifiche e 100 posti di lavoro", Tiscali, June 27, 2013.
  12. "Fiumesanto, nuova centrale a carbone: i cinesi regalano un primo timido 'sì'", Sardinia Post, August 12, 2013.
  13. "Spiragli per la centrale di Fiumesanto Lai: «Concessa una proroga di 15 mesi»", Sassari Notizie, September 11, 2013.
  14. "E.On vende la centrale di Fiume Santo", La Nuova Sardegna, November 27, 2013.
  15. "Fiume Santo, ora i lavoratori sperano che E.On venda a una nuova società", Sassari Notizie, January 24, 2014.
  16. "E.On, mobilità per 65 lavoratori. Preoccupazione a Fiume Santo", Sardinia Post, March 16, 2014.
  17. "Fiume Santo: esuberi E.On, via 70 operai", Porto Torres 24, March 17, 2014.
  18. "E.On: blocco operai ingresso Fiume Santo", Virgilio, April 11, 2014.
  19. "Eon sells Italian coal and gas power plants," Energy Post, January 13, 2015
  20. "Rinuncia al progetto di realizzazione di un gruppo a carbone da 400MWe dei gruppi 1 e 2," Ministero dell'Ambiente, 2016
  21. https://www.qualenergia.it/articoli/sardegna-futuro-conversioni-carbone-gas-incerto/. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)

Additional data

To access additional data, including interactive maps of the power stations, downloadable datases, and summary data, please visit the Global Coal Plant Tracker and the Global Oil and Gas Plant Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.