Ecologists: Czech ministry cancels extension of mercury emissions exemption for Počerady

The Ministry of the Environment has annulled the extension of the mercury emissions exemption for the Počerady power plant in the Louny district. Environmental organisations reported this to the Czech News Agency (ČTK) today in a press release. The exemption was granted to the lignite-fired power plant by the Ústí nad Labem Regional Authority. Greenpeace Czech Republic spokesperson Lukáš Hrábek told ČTK that the regional authority must now decide what steps to take next. The plant is owned by the Sev.en Energy group; ČTK is seeking comment from the company and the authority.

Local associations Zdraví pro Most and MY Litvínov, environmental organisations Greenpeace and Hnutí DUHA, and the expert group Frank Bold appealed against the regional authority’s decision. „For several years, the Počerady power plant told the authorities it was working to reduce emissions, but as the exemption neared its end, it applied for an extension. If it has to cease operations, that will unquestionably be the operator’s fault,“ they said in the press release.

The associations consider the exemption unlawful, saying the plant did not meet the conditions for it to be granted. These could only be disproportionate costs of reducing emissions, the facility’s geographical location, or its specific technical characteristics. „However, regional officials accepted the argument that the measures to reduce emissions would take time to implement, which is not a legal justification, especially in the case of an extension,“ the organisations said. They added that the regional authority wrongly accepted the polluter’s claim that the scope and duration of the exemption would have no negative environmental impact. It also granted a higher exemption than the plant’s actual current emissions, thereby allowing it to increase emissions as needed.

The organisations said there was no risk of an electricity shortage in Czechia if the Počerady plant ceased operations. Sev.en Energy group owner Pavel Tykač previously said he was considering closing the plant in spring 2025.

The power plant has five units in operation. Each unit has a capacity of 200 megawatts. The Počerady power plant has 277 permanent employees. The operator applied to extend the exemption until the end of April 2027.