Thermal power plant Ugljevik has been offline since the start of the year after a serious incident that occurred on 30 December, forcing the unit to disconnect from the power grid.
According to available information, the outage was caused by a failure in the slag removal system, reportedly linked to human error. Malfunctions in the crusher and ash-handling equipment prevented the continuous discharge of slag, leading to its accumulation, mechanical damage, and ultimately a fire inside the facility.
The situation was particularly dangerous because of the large quantities of coal dust present in the boiler area, which could have ignited and triggered an explosion. Although the incident posed a major safety risk, no injuries were reported.
Sources also claim that routine boiler washing, once considered a standard safety procedure, has not been performed for years. The current dust-removal method, based mainly on suction, is said to be inadequate to prevent the self-ignition of coal dust, which can damage equipment and electrical cabling and endanger plant personnel.
So far, the plant’s management has not released an official statement about the accident. Ugljevik remains shut down, and there is no indication when operations might resume.