UCED receives permit for new combined-cycle gas power plant in Czechia’s Chomutov

Energy company UCED, part of investment group Creditas, has obtained a construction permit for a new combined-cycle gas power plant in Chomutov. The Transport and Energy Construction Authority (DESÚ) made the decision and published it on its official noticeboard. The Ekonomický deník news site reported this today. According to previous statements by UCED, the plant is to supply the city with heat and electricity, partly replacing existing supplies from the coal-fired heating plant in Prunéřov.

Fifteen months after construction proceedings began, UCED obtained a permit for an energy source with an electrical capacity of 240 to 300 megawatts (MW). It is to be built on the site of Chomutov heating plant operator Actherm.

According to Ekonomický deník, the permit also includes approval for connection to the high-pressure gas pipeline and the electricity system. The new facility will comprise three gas turbines and one steam turbine. It will also make use of heat, with a capacity of 40 MWt. Cooling is to be provided by fan cooling towers with cooling-water pumps.

Under the decision, UCED will still have to meet conditions requested by the city. These concern limiting the impact of heavy goods traffic on residents and measuring emissions. Other conditions were included in the permit at the request of the Ohře River Basin authority, ČEZ Distribuce and telecommunications operators. UCED must also comply with conditions set by the Ministry of the Environment.

"The energy market is currently undergoing a fundamental transformation. Alongside the development of renewable sources, the importance of flexible capacity capable of balancing fluctuations in generation and ensuring system stability is growing. In our view, the combination of modern gas-fired sources and energy storage is one of the key pillars of this transformation," UCED chief financial officer Richard Holešinský told ČTK.

This will not be the only investment project on the Chomutov heating plant site. DESÚ had previously approved the construction of a waste-to-energy facility (ZEVO).

When preparing the project in 2023, the UCED group said the new facility would be fuelled by natural gas blended with hydrogen. Under the company’s plans, it could switch entirely to hydrogen in the future. According to documentation published at the time, the facility is expected to operate for up to 4,500 hours a year. It is also intended to help maintain the balance between supply and demand on the grid.

The Creditas group focuses on long-term investments and operates primarily in financial services, energy and real estate. It was founded by entrepreneur Pavel Hubáček.

Creditas has been active in the energy sector since 2013. Its energy division, UCED, invests in the energy industry in Czechia and Slovakia. In the Czech Republic, it is the fourth-largest energy distributor, with its networks supplying more than 7,000 permanent customers. In 2023, UCED reported EBITDA profit of more than Kč 2.2 billion.