Coal FirstEnergy coal plants seek OK for environmental compliance work Mon Power and Potomac Edison are seeking approval for $142 million in wastewater treatment projects at the companies’ two coal-fired power plants. Kevin Clark 12.17.2021 Share Harrison Power Station in Haywood, West Virginia (Source: FirstEnergy Corp.). Mon Power and Potomac Edison, units of FirstEnergy Corp., asked the Public Service Commission of West Virginia to approve an environmental compliance program at the companies’ two coal-fired power plants, Fort Martin Power Station in Maidsville and Harrison Power Station in Haywood. The roughly $142 million program would include new wastewater treatment equipment at the fossil fuel-burning plants to meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency effluent limitation guideline (ELG) requirements. As proposed, the upgrades at the coal plants would be funded by ratepayers, starting at $0.51 a month for the average West Virginia residential customer. The surcharge would take effect when the first projects are implemented in 2024. If the program is approved, the companies could complete the work by the end of 2025. Fort Martin and Harrison would operate until their planned retirement dates of 2035 and 2040, respectively. Fort Martin and Harrison were placed into service in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The utilities said they will work to evaluate ways to replace the coal plants’ capacity, which combined totals around 3,080 MW. Previous environmental actions In 2020, FirstEnergy said it planned pledge to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. According to FirstEnergy reports, Fort Martin Power Station has spent nearly $625 million on environmental control systems. The company reported each unit at the plant has a scrubber system, implemented in 2009, that removes more than 98% of sulfur-dioxide emissions. According to FirstEnergy, Fort Martin is also equipped with electrostatic precipitators, removing 99% of the fly ash from flue gases. FirstEnergy said environmental controls date back further at Harrison Power Station. The utility said Harrison has nearly $1 billion dollars in investments, including scrubber modules that remove more than 98% of the sulfur dioxide emissions. The scrubbers have been a part of the plant since 1995. Selective catalytic reduction systems remove at least 90% of nitrogen oxide in the coal burned at Harrison. Related Articles Babcock & Wilcox receives $246 million contract for coal-to-gas project AES Indiana wants to convert its remaining coal units to natural gas Austin Energy says it needs more time to evaluate exit of large coal-fired plant Utah bets on selling coal power at a premium price, but other western states may not want it
