S.L. 549.122 Art. 12Exemptions from complyingwiththe Emission Limit Values. Existing plants. 11 S.L. 549.59. New plants. Competent authority may impose stricter limit values. S.L. 549.59. S.L. 549.59. Emergency Considerations. 12 [S.L.

(1) Existing medium combustion plants which do not operate more than 500 operating hours per year, as a rolling average over a period of five years may be exempted by the competent authority from compliance with the emission limit values set out in Tables 1, 2 and 3 of Part 1 of the Second Schedule.

(2) The competent authority may extend the limit referred to in sub-regulation (1) to 1,000 operating hours for backup power production in connected islands in the event of an interruption of the main power supply to an island in cases of emergency or extraordinary circumstances. In such cases, an emission limit value for dust of 200 mg/Nm3 shall apply for plants firing solid fuels.

(3) Existing medium combustion plants which are part of SIS or MIS shall comply with the emission limit values set out in Tables 1, 2 and 3 of Part 1 of the Second Schedule from 1 January 2030.

(4) (a) Until 1 January 2030, the competent authority may exempt existing medium combustion plants with a rated thermal input greater than 5 MW from compliance with the emission limit values set out in the Second Schedule provided that at least 50% of the useful heat production of the plant, as a rolling average over a period of five years, is delivered in the form of steam or hot water to a public network for district heating. In the event of such exemption, the emission limit values set by the competent authority shall not exceed 3 3 1,100 mg/Nm for SO and 150 mg/Nm for dust. 2

(b) Until 1 January 2030, the competent authority may exempt medium combustion plants firing solid biomass as the main fuel, which are situated in zones where, according to assessments under the Ambient Air Quality Regulations, conformity with the limit values of those regulations is ensured, from compliance with the emission limit values for dust set out in the Second Schedule. In the event of such exemption, the emission limit values set by the competent authority shall not 3 exceed 150 mg/Nm for dust.

(c) The competent authority shall in any case ensure that no significant pollution is caused and that a high level of protection of the environment as a whole is achieved.

(5) Until 1 January 2030, the competent authority may exempt existing medium combustion plants with a rated thermal input greater than 5 MW and which are used to drive gas compressor stations required to ensure the safety and security of a national gas transmission system, from compliance with the emission limit values for NO set out in Table 3 of Part 1 of the Second Schedule. x

(6) The competent authority may exempt new medium combustion plants which do not operate more than 500 operating hours per year, as a rolling average over a period of three years, from compliance with the emission limit values set out in Part 2 of the Second Schedule. In the event of such exemption, an emission limit value for dust of 100 mg/Nm3 shall apply for plants firing solid fuels.

(7) In zones or parts of zones not complying with the air quality limit values laid down in Ambient Air Quality Regulations, the competent authority shall assess the need to apply, for individual medium combustion plants in those zones or parts of zones, stricter emission limit values than those set out in these regulations, as part of the development of air quality plans referred to in regulation 33 of the Ambient Air Quality Regulations, provided that applying such emission limit values would effectively contribute to a noticeable improvement of air quality.

(8) (a) The competent authority may grant a derogation for a maximum period of six months from the obligation to comply with the emission limit values provided for in sub-regulations 11(3), 549.122 COMBUSTION PLANTS

11(4) and 11(5) for SO in respect of a medium combustion plant which 2 normally uses low-sulphur fuel, in cases where the operator is unable to comply with those emission limit values because of an interruption in the supply of low-sulphur fuel resulting from a serious shortage.

(b) The competent authority may grant a derogation from the obligation to comply with the emission limit values provided for in sub-regulations 11(3), 11(4) and 11(5) in cases where a medium combustion plant using only gaseous fuel has to resort exceptionally to the use of other fuels because of a sudden interruption in the supply of gas and, for this reason, would need to be equipped with secondary abatement equipment. The period for which such derogation is granted shall not exceed ten days except where the operator demonstrates to the satisfaction of the competent authority that a longer period is justified.

(c) In the cases mentioned in this regulation, the operator shall request the Director responsible for the Environment in writing for the derogation provided for in the above sub-regulations as soon as the cases in question arise. In doing so the operator shall forward all the relevant technical information requested by the competent authority. The competent authority shall at its discretion issue a temporary derogation according to the provisions of this sub-regulation in accordance with the notification referred to in the Forth Schedule. The competent authority shall update the register and publish this notification together with all the information forwarded by the operator on its website.