The thermal power plant Mělník III, located near the city of Mělník, north of Prague, has been providing energy to Czech families since 1981. Until 2015, it was the country’s largest lignite complex and a massive supplier of heat and electricity. After exactly 40 years in service, it was shut down on Tuesday, August 17th. Mělník III is just one part of the three units of the brown coal-powered power station. Its reconstruction is just the beginning of remaking the whole complex into a much greener and more environmentally acceptable provider of electricity. The original power plant should be replaced with a gas-powered boiler plant and a combined-cycle power plant shortly. The main goal of the newly built site will be to lower the emissions that the station releases while producing heat and electricity. The Mělník II and I power stations are to be reconstructed during the following years. Until then, both of them will still be partially active. The renovation process is scheduled to be completed in 2030, when the use of any coal-based resources will no longer take place. The investment into this project is estimated to cost from 20 to 30 billion Czech crowns. Nevertheless, what matters most is that the Czech Republic will be one step closer to an environmentally friendly future.
