Vojany power plant (source: SME)
The Vojany thermal power plant in eastern Slovakia will not be closed. It will continue producing electricity next year, which means that 400 of its employees will keep their jobs.
This stems from the meeting of the working group composed of representatives of the Economy Ministry, the Slovenské Elektrárne power producer, the Slovak Electricity Transmission System (SEPS) and the Regulatory Authority for Network Industries (ÚRSO), the TASR newswire reported.
The working group was created in August, following the governmental session in Trebišov. It was to seek ways to secure the operation of the power plant in the medium-term.
“Saving the power plant in Vojany is good news for eastern Slovakia and all members of the working group,” said Economy Minister Peter Žiga (Smer), as quoted by TASR, adding that it is important for the stability of the transmission system and secures jobs in the region.
The power plant is operated by Slovenské Elektrárne and is able to produce electricity from black coal, biomass and biodegradable waste. Its situation improved much after adopting austerity measures, Žiga said.
“Based on the agreement, Slovenské Elektrárne can guarantee the operation of the Vojany power plant in 2017, with the vision to prolong it until 2021,” said the chair of the board of the directors of Slovenské Elektrárne, Bohumil Kratochvíl, as quoted by TASR.
The importance of the power plant has been confirmed by the recent SEPS study which was to assess the potential impact of closing the plant on the transmission system. It also described it as an important stability factor in the region.
