EIA for Enefit's oil plant embarks on round of approvals

Photo: Eero Vabamägi

Last week, the Environmental Board sent on a round of approvals a report on the environmental impact assessment (EIA) of the establishment of the Enefit280-2 shale oil production unit by Enefit Power, a subsidiary of the state-owned energy group Eesti Energia.

The oil plant will be set up as part of the Auvere energy complex, which consists of existing oil production units -- two devices with Enefit140 technology and one with Enefit280 technology -- the Eesti Power Plant, Auvere Power Plant, and the infrastructure associated with these objects, including railways, an oil warehouse, cooling water system, and ash field, according to the report.

According to the complex permit application submitted by Enefit Power, the Enefit280-2 unit uses up to 280 tons of oil shale per hour and up to 6,720 tons per day at project load. The unit operates continuously for up to 8,760 hours a year, but due to maintenance downtime, the estimated operating time is up to 8,100 hours a year. The unit produces a maximum of 324,000 tons of shale oil, 97.2 million normal cubic meters of pyrolysis gas, 64,800 cubic meters of phenolic water, and 283.5 gigawatt-hours of electricity per year.

Based on the approved EIA program, the report assesses different alternatives for treating phenolic water and industrial wastewater generated during oil shale production to identify suitable recycling technology and implement solutions for handling environmental impact; the impact on outdoor air quality and its potential impact on human health, well-being, and property; accident and emergency risks; impact on climate change; and the impact on the Natura 2000 network, including the Mustajoe nature reserve and the Puhatu bird and nature reserve.

In addition, the report assesses and compares the environmental impact of dry and wet ash removal and assesses the suitability of the ash removal technology used in the Auvere energy complex.

Enefit Power submitted a draft of the report to the Environmental Board in January this year, after which the agency checked the report's compliance with the requirements. The public display of the report took place from April 17 to May 19, and the public discussion took place on May 23 at Sinimae Basic School. The latest version of the report is a revised draft. The report was prepared by the consultancy Hendrikson & Ko.