ORLEN has launched a power plant in Płock, powered by water from treated and purified wastewater from the Production Plant. Within a year, the new unit will be able to produce energy that can meet the needs of approximately 400 households. The investment is part of the Group’s efforts to improve energy efficiency and develop new, zero-emission sources of energy production.

Built on the premises of the ORLEN Water and Wastewater Plant in Płock, the small run-of-river hydroelectric power plant has a rated capacity of 160 kW and can produce approximately 800 MWh of electricity per year. The power plant uses a pipeline laid on the Vistula escarpment, at the end of which a hydro unit consisting of a turbine and generator is mounted.

The water used at the Plock Plant is drawn from the Vistula River. After use, it is first treated and purified so that its parameters comply with environmental standards. The treated wastewater is first used at the Plant for, among other things, the production of fire and domestic water, thus partially closing the water cycle, and only the excess is discharged into the river.

Until now, the energy from treated wastewater discharged from the Plock Production Plant was simply going to waste. Now, thanks to the commissioning of the hydroelectric plant, we can use this energy to produce green electricity. “Better use of our resources is an important element of the Group’s energy transformation, enabling sustainable development in line with the goals set out in the Group’s Strategy”, says Józef Węgrecki, Vice-President of the Management Board for Operations of ORLEN SA.

The construction of the hydroelectric power plant will cost approximately PLN 3 million. The energy produced there will be fed into the power grid, which will allow ORLEN to generate additional sales revenue of approximately PLN 0.5m annually.

Adrian Andrzejewski