Slovenia’s electrical company Komunalno Podjetje Velenje (KPV), together with the founding municipalities and the Šoštanj Thermal Power Plant (TEŠ) concluded an agreement on cooperation in the planning of the transformation of the district heating system in the Šalek Valley, which is the basis for the drafting of the project dossier for the gradual transition to renewable energy sources (RES).
The joint transition concept comprises heat pumps at the TEŠ location with associated solar power plants, co-generation of electricity and heat with a boiler, a sub-station for separating the branch into the Šoštanj and Velenje parts, a heat pump at the central water treatment plant for the Šalek Valley and the transformation of the network and stations managed by KPV.
The first phase of the transformation of the heating system and the gradual energy efficiency improvement of buildings is already underway and will result in 25,269 fewer tonnes of CO2 emissions and 21,150 fewer tonnes of coal used, which means an annual saving of thermal energy in the amount of 76,559 megawatt-hours (MWh), as currently, the average annual consumption is 320,000 MWh.
Transition to a clean source of energy must be made in the Šalek Valley within ten years, so it is necessary to define as soon as possible the investments and measures that will prioritise the restructuring of the district heating system in the Šalek Valley from the Just Transition Fund. The TEŠ is a unique energy location that should also be put to good use in the future.
