Waste Plant to Start Covering Part of Tallinn Heat Demand
The heating company Tallinna Küte will start buying thermal energy in 2013 from the waste-to-energy unit to be built at Iru power plant.
As Iru's operator, the state-owned Eesti Energia, is not tendering the entire volume of the contract - 130 megawatts - Tallinna Küte signed the second-best bidder as well, AuraGen.
AuraGen will produce its share of the heat from a wood chip-fueled boiler plant.
Tallinna Küte, owned by the French Dalkia group, will buy heat from AuraGen only if demand of the district heating network exceeds the maximum capacity in the contract with Eesti Energia.
Tallinna Küte director Priidu Nõmm said that the contracts with Eesti Energia and AuraGen will reduce the amount of heat produced from gas bought at world market prices.
Two companies that lost out were Maardu Power Plant and Tallinn Power Plant, the latter jointly owned by Tallinna Küte's parent, Dalkia, and director.
Tallinna Küte currently has contracts with Iru, Tallinn Power Plant and Fortum.
Kristopher Rikken