Today at noon, the Šoštanj thermal power plant stopped Block 4 due to the end of its service life.  We thus proceed with the gradual closing of the power plant’s decrepit blocks. Block 2 was disconnected from the network in 2008, Block 1 in 2010 and Block 3 at the end of 2014.

Block 4 with 275 MW was built in the first phase of construction of the Šoštanj thermal power plant in 1972. After 46 years of operating, we permanently discontinued its operations today due to its wear and ecological, economical and technological unacceptability of operations.

During its service life, Block 4 worked 294,854 hours and produced 63,524,119 MWh. It used 59,594,927 tonnes of coal for its production. Similar blocks are being closed down in Europe after approximately 200,000 operating hours; the closure of Block 4 is thus undoubtedly the result of good maintenance and management.

After the closing of Block 4, the power of the Šoštanj thermal power plant (Block 6 and both gas turbines) amounts to 684 MW and produces on average one third of electric energy in the country. In critical periods, it covers over one half of Slovenian power consumption. The average annual production in the Šoštanj thermal power plant is between 3,800 and 4,000 GWh of power and 350 GWh of thermal power for remote heating in the Šaleška dolina valley.

It is anticipated that in addition to Block 6 and both gas turbines, the ecologically and technologically revitalised Block 5 with 345 MW of installed power will start operating before the end of this summer.