Narva weighs shale oil as an alternative heating fuel

Enefit Power is assessing whether Narva’s heating boiler can switch from gas to local shale oil, with the analysis expected to take about a month, ERR reported.

The boiler can technically use the alternative fuel, but the company has not confirmed a decision to switch. ERR says the change requires justification based on a risk of gas shortages or supply disruption. Cheaper fuel alone does not establish a right to make the change.

Narva’s heating price ceiling is nearly €138 per megawatt-hour before turnover tax. Actual costs depend on the heat source. The city relies on the gas boiler when generating electricity at the local power station is uneconomic.

Half of the gas needed for winter has already been purchased, according to company head Raine Pajo. The cost of the rest remains uncertain. A longer-term alternative is a heat pipeline from Auvere, scheduled to start operating only at the end of 2028.