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Faced with a decline in mining company activity, the New Caledonian government has now allowed SLN to change the fuel for its power plants. It will now use fuel oil with a higher sulfur content and therefore more polluting, but at a lower cost. Executives promise that this change will not have a negative impact on the environment or health.
A sulphurous booster? For years, Société Le Nickel has been in a bad place, and to make matters worse, the current crisis is reducing its activities. In addition to destroying its facilities in Bush.
In this context, the government approved a measure in a collegial session on Wednesday to allow SLN toSavings of up to 120 million francs by the end of 2024.
The executive said that the drop in activity at the Doniambo plant meant a drop in furnace power and, therefore, from a mechanical point of view, a drop in sulfur dioxide emissions from the CAT. Sulfur dioxide is a greenhouse gas produced during the combustion of fuel. In addition to contributing to global warming, this gas is harmful to health because inhaling it can cause respiratory and lung problems. To limit emissions, SLN is required by law to use fuel oil with a very low sulfur content (30% to 40%). A fuel “It is about $35 per ton more expensive than low-sulfur fuel oil.” Always according to the government. Therefore, the government decided to authorize industrialists to use only fuel oil with low sulfur content, therefore richer and more polluting than the previous fuel oil, with an observation period lasting until October 31, 2024.
The change will not have a significant impact on air quality. That’s what the government is promising anyway. “Despite this adjustment, the 2024 SO2 emissions forecast should still be lower than if the unit were operating at its nominal rate”.
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