In the first 8 months of 2017, DTEK invested UAH 2.9 bln in its coal producing assets DTEK Pavlogradugol and DTEK Dobropolyeugol. The investment grew by 80% compared with the same period of last year. As a result, DTEK’s mines are able to produce more high-volatile steam coal, which is to completely substitute for imported anthracite coal in the near term. Since the start of the year, the company has already commissioned 20 longwalls. This year, we are planning to put in service a total of 33 longwalls. The overall coal production of G grade coal year-to-date is UAH 15.2 mln.
In the same period, DTEK’s generation companies received UAH 0.7 bln of investment, which is 79% higher than in January-August of 2016. This year, DTEK’s TPPs are intensely maintaining their equipment to be ready for the winter heating season. Also, DTEK is implementing projects to convert two units of the Prydniprovska TPP to run on steam coal instead of anthracite.
The company also performs retrofit of Unit 10 at the Burshtynska TPP and Unit 1 at the Kryvorizka TPP. The retrofit will extend the service life of the units by at least 15 years, enhance their efficiency and reduce their emissions into the atmosphere down to the European standards. Starting from 2012, electrostatic precipitators undergo retrofit on all units as part of their upgrade to achieve the dust emission levels set out in the Directive 2001/80/EU.
“G grade coal of domestic production was chosen by DTEK as the priority fuel for electricity generation. To be no longer dependent on anthracite coal, we have developed an action plan consisting of three main steps. Step 1 envisages transfer of the units to burning high-volatile steam coal instead of anthracite. Step 2 implies satisfying the TPPs’ coal demand with domestic coal to the maximum extent possible because the consumption of G grade coal will drastically increase after Ukrainian units are converted to burn steam coal. For this reason, we will have to invest even more in the production of G grade coal to secure adequate coal supplies to TPPs”, Dmytro Sakharuk, Acting CEO of DTEK Energy, said. “And step 3 involves upgrading the existing generating capacities for their efficient and failure-free operation. All these steps will make Ukraine more energy independent while ensuring stable electricity supplies to Ukrainian consumers.”