Old Amynteo, Kardia PPC power stations on the way out

Partnerships with private-sector investors could be established for main power utility PPC’s two lignite-fired power stations in Amynteo, close to Florina, northern Greece, the utility’s chief executive Manolis Panagiotakis has announced.

However, such a development would require the potential business partners to provide the capital amounts needed to finance revamping the two power stations, or their replacement, as is the case with PPC’s prospective new power station in nearby Meliti, Panagiotakis pointed out.

Besides the Amynteo facilities, PPC is also contemplating future plans for other lignite-fired power stations owned and operated by the utility. Last week, during a session held by a parliamentary committee dealing with energy matters, the PPC chief commented on Greece’s post-lignite era. He noted that a major plan exists to withdraw older units which would minimize the country’s lignite-based production. The country’s greenhouse gas emission objectives for 2030 will be met, Panagiotakis added.

Though not widely known, operational limits have been imposed on PPC’s two facilities in Amynteo and Kardia as of January 1. These facilities are comprised of a total of four power stations (2 x 275 MW in Amynteo and 2 x 280 MW in Kardia). The limitations are part of a wider process, now in progress, to gradually phase out older units. The constraints follow the withdrawals carried out by PPC in Ptolemaida, also in northern Greece, over the past few years.

Extensions to older units may only be granted if these are upgraded to improve efficiency and limit environmental impact, PPC has pointed out. The aforementioned units headed for withdrawal are low-efficiency units now over 20 years old.