EU Flags Power Plant Emissions Review

The European Commission (EC) is to crack down on all Large Combustion Plants (LCPs) so that they conform with best practice.

It said it adopted an implementing act July 31 to bring into effect "Best Available Technique" (BAT) conclusions for some 3,500 such power plants of 50 MW or larger, irrespective of their fuel. However the review is expected to affect large coal-fired plants the most.

The review of their LCP permits must now happen within four years so that by mid-2021 the emission limits set for all large combustion plants will be in line with the requirements of the BAT conclusions. The EC's statement is available here. 

One-third of Europe's large coal and lignite-fired power plant capacity, so 108 plants, face costly air-quality upgrades or closure as new EU rules on BAT are implemented, said a study in May by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis which noted that just seven firms –Poland’s PGE and Tauron, Enel/Endesa, EDF, Czech CEZ, the UK’s Drax, and Greek state PPC – account for over half of those 108 plants. Since the report came out, EDF has sold its coal-fired plants in Poland to PGE.

LCPs are responsible for about one-third of all air conventional pollutants from industry, the EC said, noting that over 30% of EU citizens are exposed to air pollutant levels above EU standards, and that air pollution (including from vehicles) leads to more than 400,000 such deaths each year.

Mark Smedley