Enefit Power prepares to use shale oil for Narva heating under temporary exemption

Estonia’s Environmental Board has granted Enefit Power a temporary exception to use shale oil at the Balti power plant for district heating in Narva during the current heating season. The company says it intends to make the fuel available from 1 November for a reserve boiler if unit 11 is unavailable or its heat output is not economically competitive.

The arrangement gives the company another option for maintaining heat production. The announcement does not mean the boiler will run continuously: actual use will depend on operating conditions and the terms of the environmental permit. Enefit Power has not presented the exception as a change to household heating prices.

The Environmental Board says the temporary permission is subject to conditions. Shale oil has a higher environmental impact than natural gas, which is why the exception is limited and monitored.

Sources: Estonian Environmental Board; ERR.