The management of ČEZ has approved the business plan concerning the new 800 MW steam-gas power plant in Mělník. The intent of this project is to build a power plant which will be also ready to replace the output of the coal-fired sources situated in this location and approaching the end of their useful life in the near future. The current units will be gradually shut down in the period after 2015.
The location is very suitable for construction of a gas-steam source since it has all necessary infrastructure, providing also an opportunity of connection to the gas system. Gas-fired power plants have considerably lower emissions of sulphur and nitrogen oxides and dust, as compared to coal-fired plants. Also the CO2 emissions are lower. This will reduce the emissions in the whole of the Region of Central Bohemia considerably. At present, ČEZ runs 3 coal-fired units in the location, two with the output of 110 MW and one with the output of 500 MW.
The new source offers much larger flexibility of power generation than coal-fired plants. The gas-steam power plant will be able to operate in all modes - peak, semi-peak and basic load - and will be also very convenient for supply of attractively priced heat for Prague and Mělník after the current coal-fired sources that have been currently providing the heat supply will come to the end of their useful life.