Tauron's 450-MW Polish gas plant synchronized after coronavirus delay

Warsaw — Polish state-controlled utility Tauron said Aug. 24 it had completed the synchronization of its much-delayed, 450-MW Stalowa Wola combined cycle gas turbine with the national grid.

"Synchronization of the gas steam turbine set completes the investment," Tauron CEO Wojciech Ignacok said. "The unit will now go through the optimization, tuning and testing phase," he said.

The Zloty 1.5 billion ($402.8 million) joint venture investment between Tauron and state gas company PGNiG, was built to replace old coal-fired capacity at Tauron's Stalowa Wola plant in south eastern Poland.

It was due to be commissioned in the second quarter, but was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic. The unit will supply electricity to the national grid and heat to the residents of Stalowa Wola and surrounding areas. The project will emit around 360 kg of CO2 per MWh, Tauron said.

The CHP was originally scheduled to be ready in mid-2016, but Tauron canceled the contract with the constructor, Abener Energia, saying the Spanish company had failed to meet deadlines, when the investment was 85% complete. The unit was completed by a consortium of Polish companies led by Energopomiar.