The Maritsa 3 coal-fired power plant in the southern town of Dimitrovgrad was forced to stop operation for causing air pollution, said the Environment Ministry. The local environmental inspectorate issues an order for coercive administrative measures instructing the power plant to turn off its fuel installation with immediate effect.
The order follows a number of violations of the Environmental Protection Act and breaches of the power plant's integrated permit in the past months. Maritsa 3 has already been fined for those.
The order says that Maritsa 3 must stop operation immediately and its coal and biomass slots (where the fuel is fed to the boiler) must be sealed.
The operator violated requirements in its integrated permit regarding the handling of flue gases and the power plant's sulfur dioxide emissions exceeded the air quality standards in the town of Dimitrovgrad.
The Maritsa 3 lawyer, Julian Semerdjiev told reporters that nothing calls for such emergency of action and that he did not accept the order because the power plant management were away. He denied that any requirements in the integrated permit were violated.
The European Commission is suing Bulgaria for excessive sulfur dioxide levels and the case has reached an advanced stage where sanctions are expected to be imposed soon, the Environment Ministry said.
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