Application prospects of Irkutsk region thermal coals

The purpose of the paper is to assess application directions and prospects of Irkutsk region power generating coals for the needs of electric and heat power engineering with regard to the possible export of elect rical energy to the countries of South-East Asia, and use as raw materials for coal chemistry needs. The research is carried out using the methods of system analysis involving analysis and synthesis, formalization and concretization, structuring and restructuring, classification. It is the first time when the category of local power generating coals is distinguished under the analysis of the balance reserves of thermal coals. Their feature is low-quality and remoteness from settlements and transportation lanes. Their resource estimate is also given – 0.54 billion tons. An estimate of the recoverable reserves of local coals is obtained: it is 260 million tons. The potential level of local coal production is calculated. A retrospect of consumption trends of regional thermal coals is given and possible application directions are considered in the long run. It is shown that the most demanded direction is the use of coals for energy needs, mainly at thermal power plants. The calculated volumes of coal consumption of two export TPPs, Mugunskaya and Ishideiskaya, are respectively 11 and 6 million tons. According to the authors' calculations, the percentage of electrical energy generation at coal -fired TPPs depending on its export variant implementation can increase by 1.5 – 2.1 times as compared with the level of 2019. Availability of significant reserves of power generating coals in the region makes them a reliable source of energy resources for the electric and thermal power industry, including the export of electrical energy and a promising raw material for the needs of coal chemistry. Potential capacity of coal mining is estimated at 50-60 million tons per year, including 6.5 million tons of local coals. Production potential of coal significantly exceeds its demand both at present and in the future.

power generating (thermal) coal, balance reserves, Eastern regions of Russia, consumption, coal production, projects