Vrsany Coal Mine
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Vrsany Coal Mine (Lom Vršany) is an operating coal mine in Most, Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic.
Location
Table 1: Project-level location details
| Mine Name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
|---|---|---|
| Vrsany Coal Mine | Most, Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic | 50.491799, 13.561962 (exact) |
The map below shows the exact location of the coal mine:
Project Details
Table 2: Project status
| Status | Status Detail | Opening Year | Closing Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating | – | 1982[1] | 2038 (planned)[2] |
Table 3: Operation details
| Capacity (Mtpa) | Production (Mtpa) | Year of Production | Mine Type | Mining Method | Mine Size (km2) | Mine Depth (m) | Workforce Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| – | 6.375[3] | 2024[3] | Surface | Open Pit | 18[4] | 115[4] | 1208.732641* |
Table 4: Coal resources and destination
| Total Reserves (Mt) | Year of Total Reserves Recorded | Total Resources (Mt) | Coalfield | Coal Type | Coal Grade | Primary Consumer/ Destination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 260[4] | 2017[4] | – | Northern Bohemian | Lignite | Thermal | Coal Plant |
Table 5: Ownership and parent company
| Owner | Parent Company | Headquarters |
|---|---|---|
| Vršanská Uhelná AS [100.0%][5][6] | Sev.en Energy AG | Liechtenstein |
Table 6: Historical production (unit: million tonnes per annum)
| ROM or Saleable | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saleable | 10.7*[7] | 7.8[8] | 11*[7] | 5.99*[7][9] | 6.07*[10][7] | 9.52[11][2] | 7.8*[12] | 6.38[3] | – |
Note: The above sections were automatically generated and are based on data from the Global Coal Mine Tracker August 2026 release.
Ownership Tree
This ownership tree is part of the Global Energy Ownership Tracker, a project of Global Energy Monitor.
Background
Vrsany coal mine is a surface mine near the town of Most, Czech Republic. The mine is operated by Vrsanska Uhelna AS, a subsidiary of Sev.en Energy.[13] Sev.en Energy also owns the CSA coal mine. Pavel Tykac is the "sole ultimate beneficiary" of Sev.en Energy, formerly known as Czech Coal.[14]
The overburden of the coal seam of the mine consists of a complex of sandy clay strata. Surface mining is hindered by the frequent occurrence of very hard silty claystones and pelocarbonate layers, which must be broken by drilling and blasting. The coal as well as the overburden are exploited by bucket-wheel excavators. Extracted coal is transported by a long-distance conveyor line to the transfer bin where the coal is loaded into wagons. The trains go directly to power stations or heating plants.[15] Most of coal, about 5 million tonnes, is transported by trains to Pocerady power station which is only 7 kilometres away.[15]
According to Interreg Europe report from 2017, the Vršany mine would be able to operate after 2026 only if the underground utilities and power lines are relocated. There are 12 various pipelines, 6 power lines and several control and data cables which are owned by 10 various owners. The length of the relocation is about 4 km and estimated costs were EUR 73 million, to be implemented over 2017-2022.[15] The mine was supposed to prepare a "Rehabilitation and Reclamation Plan".[15]
Joint production of the Vrsany mine and the CSA mine reached 10.1 million tonnes in 2021, according to the company's report.[16] As per Global Data, production of the Vrsany mine in 2021 was 6.67 million tonnes.[17] However this is likely to be lower as the total production of the two mines according to Global Data is 11.1 million tonnes which is higher than the total of 10.1 reported by the company.[16] Joint production in 2022 increased to 11.9 million tonnes, as per company's 2022 report.[18]
A media article from December 2022 referred to mining reaching the maximum levels at Vrsany and CSA mine. Production at the mine increased in 2022, with 7.6 million tonnes produced at Vršany by October 2022.[19] "The mine has coal until 2045", the article went on to say.[19] The Czech government committed to phase out coal by 2033. However, the energy crisis of 2022 has triggered debates in the Czech Republic about the possible extension and expansion of coal mining.[20]
The ČSA Coal Mine suspended mining in summer 2024 and Vršany coal mine will now be a key source of coal for the Počerady and Chvaletice power plants which also belong to the Sev.en.[21] Coal mining in Czech Republic continues to decline, with a 20% decrease as of August 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.[22] In 2024, Sev.en Česká energie reported combined production at the Vršany and ČSA mines of approximately 7.5 million tonnes.[23]
The latest available company's report ESG 2022 reported stated that they expect the mine to remain operational until the coal phase-out, i.e., 2038.[18] As per Czech government approved an updated national energy plan from December 2024, coal mining is to be ceased by 2033.[24] As of May 2025, the future of the mine remained tied to the operational lifespan of the nearby Pocerady power station, with Sev.en noting that nearly 200 million tonnes of coal remained available at Vrsany, and that closing the mine would be an irreversible step.[25]
In November 2025, Sev.en announced that it would shut down the Pocerady power station (1,000 MW), the Chvaletice power station (820 MW) and the Kladno power station (456 MW) by December 2026, at the latest by March 2027, citing falling electricity prices and rising emission allowance costs as making continued operation unprofitable. Mining at the Vrsany mine was reported to continue beyond the power plant closures, though the loss of Pocerady as the mine's primary customer - taking approximately 5 million tonnes per year - raises significant questions about the mine's future output and viability.[26]
Opposition
In September 2020, 8 activists occupied an excavator to protest the Vršany mine, which feeds the Počerady power plant, the largest Czech source of greenhouse gas.[27]
Articles and Resources
Additional data
To access additional data, including an interactive map of world coal mines, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Coal Mine Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.
References
- ↑ https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lom_Vr%C5%A1any.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 2.0 2.1 (PDF) https://web.archive.org/web/20240125125216/https://www.7.cz/files/ESG_report_2022_EN.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2024-01-25.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 https://ekonomickydenik.cz/mezirocne-o-jednu-sestinu-mene-tezba-hnedeho-uhli-loni-klesla-na-237-milionu-tun/.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 (PDF) https://projects2014-2020.interregeurope.eu/fileadmin/user_upload/tx_tevprojects/library/file_1580810304.pdf.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ https://www.7.cz/en/business-areas/#coal-mining.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20260702184917/https://www.7.cz/en/. Archived from the original on 02 July 2026.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|archive-date=(help); Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 (PDF) https://web.archive.org/web/20240125063824/https://www.7.cz/files/ESG_report_2021_EN.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2024-01-25.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ https://euracoal.eu/library/archive/czech-republic-7/.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ https://www.mining-technology.com/marketdata/ten-biggest-producing-surface-and-underground-mines-in-europe-in-2020/?cf-view.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ https://www.globaldata.com/data-insights/mining/czech-republic--five-largest-mines-in-2090643/.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ https://euracoal.eu/info/country-profiles/czech-republic-8/.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ (PDF) https://www.mpo.gov.cz/assets/cz/energetika/statistika/tuha-paliva/2024/2/Produkce-tuhych-fosilnich-paliv-za-rok-2023_1.pdf.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ "Business Areas". https://www.7.cz/. Retrieved February 2023.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|access-date=(help); External link in|website= - ↑ Sev.en Energy group profile 2019 annual report, accessed Nov 23, 2019
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 "Vršanská uhelná a.s." (PDF). https://projects2014-2020.interregeurope.eu/. 2017.
{{cite web}}: External link in|website= - ↑ 16.0 16.1 "Sev.en ESG Report 2021" (PDF). https://www.7.cz/. 2022.
{{cite web}}: External link in|website= - ↑ Czech Republic: Five Largest Mines in 2021, Global Data, accessed December 2021
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 "ESG report 2022" (PDF). www.7.cz. 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ 19.0 19.1 "Mostek is mined to the maximum. Demand for coal is high". https://www.idnes.cz/. December 2022.
{{cite web}}: External link in|website= - ↑ "Coal mining and the Just Transition Fund". https://www.europarl.europa.eu/. January 2023.
{{cite web}}: External link in|website= - ↑ "Přestavba v lomu Vršany pomůže uvolnit další zásoby uhlí". iuhli.cz. March 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Czech coal production continues to decline". english.radio.cz. August 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Meziročně o jednu šestinu méně. Těžba hnědého uhlí loni klesla na 23,7 milionu tun". Ekonomický deník. February 28, 2025. Retrieved March 13, 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "The Government has approved the update of the National Energy Plan. It lays emphasis on the development of nuclear energy and renewables". Ministry of Industry and Trade. December 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Konec uhlí v Česku. Většina dolů zavře do pěti let, Bílina vydrží do roku 2033". Ekonomický deník. May 2025. Retrieved March 13, 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Tykačova skupina Sev.en ukončí provoz tří uhelných elektráren v prosinci 2026". ČT24. November 26, 2025. Retrieved March 13, 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ Greenpeace Czech Republic, Facebook, September 1, 2020
