Construction of a biomass boiler in Brno, Czechia, delayed by a year due to asbestos

Construction of a biomass boiler costing 2.4 billion crowns, which Teplárny Brno had planned to start using this autumn, has been delayed by a year. The delay is due to the unexpected discovery of asbestos during demolition work and the subsequent removal of the hazardous material. The general director of the city-owned company, Petr Fajmon, told the Czech News Agency (ČTK) in response to a query.

„Asbestos was discovered during demolition work in the area where the new boiler is being built in August last year. Following this, surveys of the entire site were carried out and samples taken. Once the extent and location of the asbestos had been established, work began to remove it in accordance with the prescribed conditions and under the supervision of public health inspectors,“ Fajmon said.

The cost of asbestos removal came to 3.3 million crowns, and the extension of the construction period itself will not entail any additional expenses. „The agreement reached with the contractor following the unexpected discovery of asbestos also includes a price increase limited to the amount corresponding to the contractor’s additional work, worth ten million CZK, required to remove the undesirable substances throughout the site. Teplárny Brno will bear no further costs related to the extended construction period,“ he added.

The utility had originally planned to start using the boiler this autumn, but has now pushed the schedule back by a year.

Teplárny Brno currently generates 80 percent of its heat from natural gas, while the remaining 20 percent comes from burning waste at the incineration plant operated by another city-owned company, SAKO Brno. The new boiler, which will use 80.000 tonnes of wood chips a year, is expected to reduce dependence on gas by 15 percent.