The air quality indicators in Dimitrovgrad are within normal limits, after unorganized emissions and high-pressure steam were released from the boiler room of the Maritsa 3 TPP last night shortly after 6:00 p.m., the press center of the Ministry of Environment and Water (MoEW) reported, quoted by BTA.
Data from the automatic measuring station Rakovski in the city show that at 6:00 p.m. the average hourly value for sulfur dioxide is 15.62 micrograms per cubic meter of air, at a rate of 350 micrograms per hour. In the next two hours, the values for this indicator are even lower – 14.78 micrograms per cubic meter of air at 19:00 and 14.53 micrograms per cubic meter of air at 20:00. The wind direction during these three hours was northwest-west. No exceedances of sulfur dioxide standards were measured in Dimitrovgrad, the increases were within the permissible limits.
From 18:00 to 20:00, the values of fine dust particles with a size of 10 were also low, as the norm for this indicator is an average of 24 hours - 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air.
During the timely inspection carried out by experts of the Regional Inspectorate for Environment and Water (RIOSV) - Haskovo of the thermal power plant, it was found that a technical problem had arisen - critically high vibrations in the feed pump, which led to the immediate shutdown of the boiler at 18:05. When it was extinguished as a result of the steam being discharged from the boiler installation, unorganized emissions and high-pressure steam were released from the boiler room building for about 6 to 8 minutes.
The Regional Inspectorate for Environmental Protection and Water Resources-Haskovo monitors the quality of the atmospheric air in Dimitrovgrad, the indicators are under continuous monitoring and citizens will be informed regularly, the Ministry of Environment and Water added.
There was an emergency situation at the Maritsa 3 TPP in November last year. A signal was sent from Dimitrovgrad to the MoEW hotline for the release of black smoke and the presence of a strong, unpleasant odor, the ministry announced. They specified that an inspection had established that an emergency situation had occurred at the Maritsa 3 TPP AD, about which the enterprise promptly notified the Regional Inspectorate for Environmental Protection and Water Resources in Haskovo.
In 2024 The Regional Inspectorate for Environmental Protection and Water-Haskovo has carried out 25 inspections of the plant related to air emissions. Within the framework of the control carried out, five acts of administrative violation were drawn up and four punitive decrees were issued for a total amount of 80 thousand leva, the Ministry of Environment and Water added.