As part of the strategy of management of sediment in the reservoirs of the company's hydro power plants, a sediment processing centre is planned to be built in the vicinity of the reservoir of the Formin Hydro Power Plant. Considering the annual quantity of sediments in the reservoirs, different potential technologies for the processing of sediment are envisaged:
At the beginning of 2022, we launched the LIFE IP RESTART project (full title: Boosting waste recycling into valuable products by setting the environment for a circular economy in Slovenia), coordinated by the Ministry of Environment, Climate, and Energy. The project, involving 16 partners, is valued at 17 million euros. The main objectives are to introduce a comprehensive set of complementary technical, digital, environmental, and socio-circular solutions for processing various types of waste in Slovenia. Six large demonstrations will be carried out across Slovenia. Demonstration C7 focuses on the disposal and processing of river sediments within Lake Ptuj.
The dredged sediments are classified as waste material (17 05 06 - dredged material not mentioned under 17 05 05) that is typically disposed of in landfills or reintegrated into rivers or aquatic ecosystems. At the same time, they represent secondary raw materials to produce new value-added products such as materials for geotechnical works, geopolymers, bricks, lightweight aggregates, etc. The purpose of Action C7 is to demonstrate and promote the recycling of sediments from water bodies. The following activities are planned to establish permanent removal and processing of sediments into value-added products: (i) development of a long-term sediment management strategy for all DEM reservoirs using hybrid numerical and physical modeling, (ii) establishment of the first demo center for sediment depot at Lake Ptuj and their processing, (iii) obtaining Slovenian technical approval for geotechnical composites for integration into flood protection embankments, and (iv) construction of a pilot flood protection embankment and establishment of long-term monitoring of the geomechanical and chemical properties.
More information about the LIFE IP Restart project can be found on the website of the lead partner – the Ministry of Environment, Climate, and Energy: www.life-restart.si.
Passes for aquatic organisms
Passes for aquatic organisms are a technical mitigation measure which reduces the negative impact of hydro power barriers on the migration of aquatic organisms. The Water Framework Directive and Slovenian legislation also stipulate the construction of passes for aquatic organisms on the existing barriers which had been constructed without them. The only currently functional pass for aquatic organisms on the barriers of the company is the one on the Mariborski otok Hydro Power Plant. In the coming decade, the company is obliged to build passes on all other barriers. By constructing them, we will contribute to improving the state of the environment and increase the social acceptability of hydro power facilities in the environment.
