AECI continues to improve its environmental performance
Associated Electric Cooperative has always been environmentally responsible, and the cooperative has a strong history of fulfilling its environmental commitments while continuing to meet members' needs for affordable and stable electricity rates.
AECI has taken an aggressive approach to improving air quality. Since 1994, AECI has reduced its systemwide sulfur dioxide emissions rate 90 percent. The cooperative has reduced its nitrogen oxides emissions rate 80 percent during the ozone season, when the Environmental Protection Agency has determined NOx contributes to ozone formation.
Nominated by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, AECI received a national award for restoring the Bee Veer mine in Macon County, Mo., to productive pasture, woodlands and wetlands for wildlife. Read the news release.
AECI achieved these reductions by converting its coal units to low-sulfur coal, closing its Missouri mine and installing environmental controls at a cost of $650 million.
AECI is working to further improve air quality. Construction of $385 million in new and upgraded environmental controls is under way at Thomas Hill Energy Center. Once complete, the new controls will enable AECI to achieve a NOx emissions rate systemwide that is nearly 90 percent below its emissions rate in 1994.
AECI also is the only electric utility system in Missouri with wind on its system. AECI's commitment to buy all the power from three wind farms in northwest Missouri for 20 years and system cooperatives' vast transmission system made the wind farms possible. Read more about the first utility-scale wind farms in Missouri.
Rural electric cooperatives have always been leaders in energy efficiency, and AECI implemented systemwide in 2008 its "Take Control & Save" energy efficiency program to further build on individual cooperatives’ energy efficiency programs.
|
