Associated continues to improve its environmental performance

AECI is using the best available control technology, as defined by the Environmental Protection Agency, on its new gas plant – making it one of the cleanest and most efficient gas plants in the nation.

What equipment will be used to reduce emissions?

The efficiency of the new power plant will result in lower emissions rates. Emissions of sulfur dioxide, volatile organic compounds and particulate matter are minimized by the choice of fuel, which is natural gas, and the high combustion efficiency inherent in a modern combustion turbine.  AECI also will use various equipment and methods to remove nitrogen oxides from the flue gas before it exits the stack. The generating unit will be equipped with:

• selective catalytic reduction equipment and a dry combustion system to minimize emissions of nitrogen oxides; and
• a  continuous emissions monitoring system that measures and records the constituents of the flue gas to ensure they meet requirements of air permits and ensure accurate operation of the environmental equipment.

What has the electric utility industry done to reduce emissions?

Nationally, America's air quality is better now than it has been in decades. Emissions of pollutants regulated by federal clean air laws established to protect human health are down 54 percent since 1970. Utilities have invested more than $50 billion in new technologies to improve the environmental performance of their plants.

What kind of emissions reductions has AECI achieved?

In the last 13 years, AECI has reduced its annual sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions rate by 90 percent. It’s also reduced its nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions rate 80 percent during the ozone season, when the Environmental Protection Agency has determined NOx contributes to ozone formation.

AECI accomplished these reductions by converting its coal units to low-sulfur coal, closing its high-sulfur Missouri coal mine and installing environmental controls at a cost of more than $650 million.

AECI will further improve air quality and fulfill new environmental standards set by the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) and Clean Air Mercury Rule (CAMR) issued by the EPA in 2005. Construction is under way on new environmental controls at AECI's Thomas Hill Energy Center near Moberly, Mo., to reduce NOx emissions and meet the first phase of CAIR in 2009.

Once complete in 2009, the new environmental controls will enable AECI to achieve a systemwide NOx emissions rate reduction of nearly 90 percent.

In addition to improving air quality and partnering in Missouri's first utility-scale wind farms, AECI implemented its "Take Control & Save" energy efficiency program in 2008 systemwide tol build upon the longtime work of member cooperatives to increase the efficient use of electricity.

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