20 Power Plant Open Cooling System in the Context of the Objectives …
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which are of fundamental importance for the state and society, or actions concerning
economic or social activities that fulfil specific public service tasks.
It was also important fulfilment of the condition contained in the statement that the
beneficial objectives served by these alterations or modifications of the body of water
cannot, by reason of technical feasibility or disproportionate costs, be achieved by
means of other measures which would be significantly more beneficial from the point
of view of the environment. It required a detailed specification of the objective to
be achieved and the identification of possible ways of achieving it. Importantly, not
only different options for implementing the project planned were considered in this
respect, but also entirely different solutions, including non-technical ones.
The final condition for the implementation of an investment project that may have
a negative impact on the state of a body of surface water and for the application of the
derogation under Article 4(7) WFD is that the reasons for these alterations or modifications are specifically set out and explained in the river basin management plan.
In the updated RBMP, this condition is considered to be fulfilled for all investment
projects that are described in the document.
As indicated above, the waters of the power plant canal are not subject to monitoring. However, this monitoring is carried out on the Vistula River upstream of the
location where water is sourced for energy generation purposes. The monitoring
demonstrates that the water in the Vistula River in the area in question has both
bad status and potential. The main cause of water pollution is the discharge of saline
mine waters into rivers within the Upper Silesian Coal Basin. The purpose of draining
mines is to ensure that further extraction of coal in active coal mines remains possible.
Abandoned mines are drained as well in order to prevent the inflow of water to the
neighbouring mines where deposits are still being worked. The national economy
is based on energy generation involving the burning of hard coal. More than 50%
of national energy needs are covered in this manner. The largest number of mines
are situated within the Upper Silesian Coal Basin. In a sense, they have connected
vessels due to the hydrogeological and hydrodynamic conditions present there. As
coal deposits are extracted, increasingly deep layers are reached, and the mineralisation levels of water flowing into mines increase with depth. The mine waters
discharged cause degradation of the environment, which has been reflected in the
assessment of the status/potential of the Vistula River bodies of surface water.
A significant number of Vistula bodies of surface water are at risk of failing to
achieve good water status/potential, which resulted in their being included in the
derogation. With regard to the RBMP (2011), in the Upper Vistula River water
region, the temporary derogation covered, inter alia, the power plant canal under
consideration.
405
which are of fundamental importance for the state and society, or actions concerning
economic or social activities that fulfil specific public service tasks.
It was also important fulfilment of the condition contained in the statement that the
beneficial objectives served by these alterations or modifications of the body of water
cannot, by reason of technical feasibility or disproportionate costs, be achieved by
means of other measures which would be significantly more beneficial from the point
of view of the environment. It required a detailed specification of the objective to
be achieved and the identification of possible ways of achieving it. Importantly, not
only different options for implementing the project planned were considered in this
respect, but also entirely different solutions, including non-technical ones.
The final condition for the implementation of an investment project that may have
a negative impact on the state of a body of surface water and for the application of the
derogation under Article 4(7) WFD is that the reasons for these alterations or modifications are specifically set out and explained in the river basin management plan.
In the updated RBMP, this condition is considered to be fulfilled for all investment
projects that are described in the document.
As indicated above, the waters of the power plant canal are not subject to monitoring. However, this monitoring is carried out on the Vistula River upstream of the
location where water is sourced for energy generation purposes. The monitoring
demonstrates that the water in the Vistula River in the area in question has both
bad status and potential. The main cause of water pollution is the discharge of saline
mine waters into rivers within the Upper Silesian Coal Basin. The purpose of draining
mines is to ensure that further extraction of coal in active coal mines remains possible.
Abandoned mines are drained as well in order to prevent the inflow of water to the
neighbouring mines where deposits are still being worked. The national economy
is based on energy generation involving the burning of hard coal. More than 50%
of national energy needs are covered in this manner. The largest number of mines
are situated within the Upper Silesian Coal Basin. In a sense, they have connected
vessels due to the hydrogeological and hydrodynamic conditions present there. As
coal deposits are extracted, increasingly deep layers are reached, and the mineralisation levels of water flowing into mines increase with depth. The mine waters
discharged cause degradation of the environment, which has been reflected in the
assessment of the status/potential of the Vistula River bodies of surface water.
A significant number of Vistula bodies of surface water are at risk of failing to
achieve good water status/potential, which resulted in their being included in the
derogation. With regard to the RBMP (2011), in the Upper Vistula River water
region, the temporary derogation covered, inter alia, the power plant canal under
consideration.