The environmental project on elimination of the sludge dump was completed at Konakovskaya GRES
- Elimination of the sludge dump was one of the largest environmental projects implemented by PJSC Enel Russia at the power plant
- In the course of the works the territory of the former sludge dump was cleared of 12.7 thousand tons of waste
- About 8 thousand tons of waste generated in the course of dismantling the sludge dump were responsibly disposed of, and most of it was transferred for recycling
On September 14, 2022 specialists of Konakovskaya GRES of PJSC Enel Russia successfully completed the liquidation of the sludge dump built in 1964. A land plot was restored in its place and seeded with meadow grasses. During a celebration marking the completion of the project, representatives of the power plant, the municipality, the Government of the Tver Region, bloggers and journalists hand-seeded the last hectare of the sludge dump.
The sludge dump of Konakovskaya GRES was 6 cards (large containers) with asphalt concrete covering a total area of 8 hectares with a usable capacity of 90,000 m3. For half a century, the ash generated by burning fuel oil, which was used as the main fuel until the early 2000s, was stored there. During the combustion of fuel oil in the technological cycle, ash was deposited on the heating surfaces of the boilers of the power plant, which was washed with water during maintenance. Washing water was sent to the tank and then to the sludge dump, where the ash washed off the equipment remained.
The possibility of excluding the sludge dump from the production cycle of the power plant arose as fuel oil was no longer used as the main and auxiliary fuel - Konakovskaya GRES now runs on gas. As a consequence, the amount of generated wash water has significantly decreased, and specialists of Enel Russia have worked out alternative solutions for drainage and treatment of this wash water at a specially created neutralization and utilization unit.
The sludge dump liquidation project was launched in 2013 and completed in September 2022. First of all, all the waste stored here was removed and placed in specialized landfills, its total weight was more than 12.7 thousand tons. Then, all the necessary engineering surveys and design work were carried out, and the necessary expertise was obtained in full. At the final stage, which lasted more than three years, specialists of Konakovskaya GRES and contractors dismantled all the structures of the sludge dump, after which the used land was reclaimed and seeded with several types of meadow grass.
About 8 thousand tons of waste and residual asphalt-concrete structures were generated as a result of the dismantling of the sludge dump structures. Of these, 46% (this is all the residue from the dismantling of structures) were transferred for reuse for the production of asphalt-concrete mixtures. 52% were transferred to a specialized organization for use in water impurity removal activities. Concrete structures were crushed into asphalt concrete crumbs with subsequent transfer to the asphalt-concrete mixtures plant and only 2% of the waste was transferred for disposal at waste disposal facilities.
The total investments of PJSC Enel Russia into the project of sludge dump liquidation amounted to about 150 million rubles.
«Implementation of the project made it possible to optimize the production processes at Konakovskaya GRES and restore the condition of the lands previously occupied by the sludge dump. One of our most important tasks was to improve the environment, which corresponds with the company's sustainable business model, based on responsible attitude to the ecosystem and minimization of impact on it during production activities», said Ilya Novozhilov, Director of Konakovskaya GRES PJSC Enel Russia.
During the operation of the sludge dump, implementation of the works on its liquidation, as well as after successful completion of these works, at Konakovskaya GRES observations of ground water condition in the area adjacent to the sludge dump have been being conducted at 5 piezometric wells.
The project on elimination of the sludge dump at Konakovskaya GRES corresponds to two global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 12 - Sustainable Consumption and Production, and SDG 15 - Sustainable Use of Terrestrial Ecosystems.
Konakovskaya GRES systematically applies the sustainable business model of PJSC Enel Russia and implements a responsible attitude towards the environment. Other environmental initiatives include the installation of fish protection systems at the power plant's onshore pumping stations aimed at preserving the biological resources of the Volga River, as well as a number of solutions to ensure a safe environment for seagulls. The power plant is highly careful with water resources as well. As part of the campaign to optimize water consumption and drainage, the metal industrial pipelines of artesian water were replaced with new plastic ones, which made it possible to significantly reduce direct water losses to the environment. In addition, the «Adviser» software was implemented at Power Unit No. 2 to enable rational consumption of process water used for equipment operation.
Another distinctive feature of PJSC Enel Russia's sustainable model is optimization of all business processes: from document flow to production activities themselves. The company annually implements projects to upgrade the equipment of its power plants, making them more efficient and environmentally friendly, implements new digital solutions enabling to optimize the management of power plants, consistently reduces paper consumption by streamlining document flow and converting it to electronic format. Enel Russia takes measures to give a second life to all the resources used at the power plants and the construction sites.