ORLEN suspends production after unexploded WWII bomb found at Litvinov plant in Czech Republic

ORLEN Unipetrol has announced that an unexploded WWII aviation bomb was found during excavation work at its production plant in Litvinov-Zaluzh in the Czech Republic.

“Taking into account the inherent risk of an uncontrolled explosion of a bomb, ORLEN Unipetrol RPA sro, in liaison with the Czech police, decided to immediately and preventively shut down all production and energy units located in the refinery part of the Litvinov production site and evacuate all non-critical personnel. These production and energy units will remain shut down until further notice. The production units in the petrochemical part of the Litvinov production site are currently operating in limited operation, but due to the lack of feedstock supply in the coming days, these units will enter a planned shutdown. Due to this exceptional situation, crude oil processing and production in the steam cracker and polymerization units at our Litvinov refinery have been severely affected,” the company said in a statement.

This incident represents an extraordinary, unforeseeable and insurmountable obstacle beyond the control of ORLEN Unipetrol RPA sro, i.e. a force majeure event. This obstacle (force majeure event) continues.

The occurrence and continuation of the above-mentioned obstacle (force majeure event) make it impossible for ORLEN Unipetrol RPA sro to properly perform its obligations arising from the contracts concluded with its business partners.