The coal-fired power plant in Barentsburg have been a big polluter, but now the emissions of dust, soot, sulfur and tar products will be considerably cut down. The plant will now have the same requirements for cleaning as the power plant in the Norwegian settlement Longyearbyen, NRK reports.
The two power plants on Svalbard annually use some 25 000 tons of coal. The energy production gives electricity and heating to the coal production and the settlements.
The Norwegian Climate and Pollution Agency has informed Russia about the new requirements on cleaning, which will be put into force from January 1st 2011. Norwegian authorities have so far not received any complaints from the Russian side towards the demands.
