Porto Tolle Power Station

Porto Tolle Power Station is a proposal by Enel Produzione SpA for a oil-to-coal conversion with an installed capacity of 2000 megawatts and a notional commissioning date of 2012-13.

Location of Porto Tolle Power Station - approximate area only

Background
Power in Europe noted in June 2007 that the project was "still awaiting environmental clearance and final approval from MAP. Project ‘not a foregone conclusion’ says Enel’s Fulvio Conti, but Enel maintains 2012-13 horizon.". It also noted that this was a similar proposal to the Civitavecchia project in Lazio. The newsletter states that both the projects "have struggled against sustained environmental opposition and political change."

On May 17, 2011, Italy's top administrative court canceled government clearance for Enel's project to convert the power plant to coal from fuel oil. Decisions of Italy's State Council, the highest administrative court, cannot be appealed, which means Enel would have to either give up on the 2.5 billion euro ($3.54 billion) project or start a lengthy permitting process from scratch. The top court also overruled a decision by a regional court in 2010 to back Enel's plan, which was opposed by environmentalist groups.

Enel had planned to start at the end of 2011 to convert its 2,640 megawatt oil-fueled Porto Tolle plant to use "clean coal" technology, and invest another 1 billion euros in a carbon capture and storage facility on the site. Enel CEO Fulvio Conti said in April 2011, after Italy decided to freeze its plans to revive nuclear energy following the nuclear disaster in Japan, his company was ready to boost coal power generation as an alternative.

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