In September 2022, CHP-Invest Kft. and Újpalotai Energia Kft., belonging to the Veolia Group, bought the assets of Vértesi Erőmű Zrt.'s Oroszlány power plant from MVM for the purpose of long-term professional investment, and started the modernization of the power plant. This is Veolia Energia Magyarország Zrt's fifth power plant development in Hungary, in which the previous coal or mixed fuel technology is replaced by a more modern fluidized bed biomass fuel system, which fits well into the company's green energy portfolio.
Thanks to the investment, the power plant, which has been inactive since December 31, 2015, will start up again in the first half of 2024 with a fully renewable fuel-based operation and become a member of the national electricity supply.
The modernization of the two former boilers of the power plant is carried out by one of the world's leading company groups, the Finnish Valmet, which is an internationally recognized expert in the conversion of coal-fired boilers to biomass. Thanks to this, the power plant will produce more than 600 GWh of electricity and provide economical, predictable district heating services to the residents and institutions of Oroszlány and Bokod.
The main goal of the investment was to make the power plant more modern, sustainable and independent of imported natural gas, using renewable fuel. The company intends to procure biomass fuel (forestry and sawmill by-products, agricultural by-products) mainly from the regions around Oroszlány. By building the supply chain necessary for this, the company also supports the local economy and creates easily accessible job opportunities for people living in the regions.
Another goal of the Veolia group is to make the operation of the modernized power plant CO2 neutral. This is provided by biomass fuel, which almost eliminates carbon dioxide emissions when burned, which is why this technology is one of the best alternatives for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. And thanks to the modern filters, dust emissions can also be reduced to a minimum, with which the power plant simultaneously contributes to the fulfillment of regional and national sustainability goals.
The filling of the planned 350 jobs of the power plant, which operates in the long term and creates job opportunities with environmentally friendly technology, started in the summer of 2023.
CEO: Attila Vollár