On Monday, the first municipal waste sorted at the Vilnius Mechanical Biological Treatment Plant (MBTP) arrived at Vilnius Combined Heat and Power Plant (Vilnius CHP).

The delivered waste was used for commissioning works on waste reception, grab crane lifting, and other systems; non-recyclable municipal waste with energy value would subsequently be used as fuel for testing the boilers, their auxiliary systems, and flue gas treatment technologies.

Vilnius CHP CEO Saulius Barauskas notes that the plant, compliant with very stringent environmental standards, will help prevent around 160,000 tonnes of waste per year from ending up in Lithuanian landfills, while ensuring competitive heat prices and reducing power imports.

Mixed municipal waste from Vilnius and other municipalities in the region arrives at the Vilnius MBTP, where secondary raw materials (metal, glass, plastics, cardboard) are sorted out, and the non-recyclable remainder with energy value is passed to Vilnius CHP. The Vilnius MBTP treats approximately 230,000 tonnes of waste annually, yielding around 120,000 tonnes for energy recovery; it is owned by UAB VAATC and operated by UAB Energesman.

Vilnius Vice-Mayor Valdas Benkunskas notes that Vilnius CHP, about to start operations, will contribute significantly to proper waste management in the city — reducing landfill volumes while turning waste into useful energy for homes and industry. Hot tests using natural gas started at the end of August; once commercially operational, the plant's total power capacity is expected to reach approximately 100 MW and thermal capacity approximately 240 MW, making it one of the most modern plants of its type in Europe.