Press Mention The Knoxville News-Sentinel July 30, 1998
SACE Quoted
TVA to further reduce emissions at its coal-fired plants
In this mention
TVA announced plans to install pollution-control equipment at five coal-fired power plants to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by 75 percent by 2003, at a cost of $500–600 million. The initiative aims to comply with EPA ozone standards. Stephen Smith of the Tennessee Valley Energy Reform Coalition praised the commitment as a significant environmental step.
This is one of their biggest ever commitments that TVA has made to cleaning the environment
Stephen A. Smith
Original clipping
PDF didn't open? Open it in a new tab →
Full transcript
TVA to further reduce emissions at its coal-fired plants
By Jacques Billeaud
News-Sentinel staff writer
TVA plans to install equipment at five of its coal-fired power plants to reduce pollutants that cause ozone and smog.
The initiative, expected to cost $500 million to $600 million, will include a 75 percent reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions by 2003.
It's also aimed at avoiding violations of a stringent ozone standard called for last year by the Environmental Protection Agency, TVA Chief Operating Officer Ike Zeringue said Thursday.
Gov. Don Sundquist and a clean-air group commended TVA for its plans.
"This is one of their biggest ever commitments that TVA has made to cleaning the environment," said Stephen Smith, a frequent TVA critic who heads the Tennessee Valley Energy Reform Coalition.
Smith is also involved in the Tennessee Clean Air Task Force, a group of organizations that applauded Thursday's announcement.
"This highlights TVA's role as a leader," Smith added. "I think this signals a new commitment on TVA's part to improve the environment."
The equipment removes nitrogen oxide from fossil-plant emissions and converts it to harmless nitrogen and water, TVA said.
Nitrogen oxide is a pollutant that
forms ozone or smog, which at high concentrations can adversely affect trees, agricultural crops and human health.
TVA is expected to install the equipment by 2003 at the following plants: Allen in Memphis, Cumberland northwest of Nashville, Bull Run near Oak Ridge, Paradise in Central City, Ky., and Widows Creek in Stevenson, Ala.
"It's significant because this is a key component in having Tennessee meet stricter ozone standards," said Justin Wilson, deputy to the governor. "TVA did this voluntarily and responsibly."
In earlier efforts to comply with environmental standards, TVA installed equipment and used other technology to reduce nitrogen oxide by about 40 percent by 2000.
It has also spent more than $2 billion on equipment to reduce sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide at its coal-fired plants, TVA said.
Jacques Billeaud can be reached at (423) 521-1833 or billeaud@knews.com.