Additional air pollution control systems sought for its new Comanche Unit 3 will be installed "as soon as technically feasible," Xcel Energy said in a new court filing. The utility is in the midst of ramping up and testing the $1.5 billion plant addition in Pueblo, CO. Senior U.S. District Judge Walker Miller set a hearing for January 27 to consider an environmental group's request to block the startup. The new unit will operate a baghouse and use natural gas, as well as coal, "to further minimize emissions" until the additional control systems are put into operation, the utility said. A preliminary injunction would bar operation of the unit until Miller decides the outcome of a lawsuit WildEarth filed in July. It alleges the unit violates the federal Clean Air Act because the unit lacks a purported requirement to show "maximum achievable control technology" or MACT.

The utility noted that the state Air Pollution Control Division on December 18 issued a proposed MACT finding and is receiving public comments about the measure. "The state will produce in a timely fashion the final MACT determination sought by (WildEarth), without the need for involvement by this court," Xcel argues.

Regulatory Panel upholds SWEPCO’s Hempstead Air Permit

An Arkansas state regulatory panel last Friday upheld an air quality permit for Southwest Electric Power’s (SWEPCO) $1.6 billion coal-fired electric plant in Hempstead County. The 7-1 vote by the Arkansas Pollution Control and Ecology Commission accepted a hearing officer's recommendation that an appeal by opponents of the 600-MW power plant be turned away. The Sierra Club and landowners near the plant sought to block the permit, arguing that the SWEPCO facility would generate too much mercury, sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide. Friday's ruling clears only part of the way for the utility. Still pending is SWEPCO's challenge to an Arkansas Court of Appeals ruling that invalidated a permit issued by the Arkansas Public Service Commission.

Westar Energy resolves Violations of the Clean Air Act

Westar Energy, Inc. has agreed to spend approximately $500 million to significantly reduce harmful air emissions from a Kansas coal-fired power plant and pay a $3 million civil penalty, under a settlement to resolve violations of the Clean Air Act, the Justice Department and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Tuesday. As part of the settlement, Westar will also spend $6 million on environmental mitigation projects. The agreement, filed in federal court in Kansas, resolves violations of the Clean Air Act’s New Source Review requirements at the company’s Jeffrey Energy Center, a coal-fired power plant near St. Marys, KS. “Today’s settlement sets the most stringent limit for SO₂ emissions ever imposed on a coal-fired power plant in a federal settlement,” said Cynthia Giles, Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.

PSC Hearings for Mississippi Power’s planned $2.2 Billion Coal-fired Power Plant

State regulators resume hearings Monday, February 1, into plans by Mississippi Power Co. to build a $2.2 billion coal-fired power plant in Kemper County, MS. The weeklong hearings before the Public Service Commission (PSC) will review the resources and cost of resources to build the plant. In November, the PSC found the company has demonstrated a need to increase its capacity to generate electricity. The ruling came a month after the PSC held several days of hearings. Opponents, including the Sierra Club, said the plant north of Meridian is unnecessary and that it would be dirty and expensive. Mississippi Power serves 23 counties from the Gulf Coast to Meridian.

First Phase of Oak Creek $2.3 Billion Coal-fired Power Plant comes Online

Bechtel Power Corp. will hand over day-to-day control of the Oak Creek coal-fired power plant’s first boiler unit to We Energies, while construction continues on the second boiler unit, expected to open by late this year. Utility spokesman Brian Manthey said, customers will benefit because We Energies will be able to sell power from the plant in the Midwest regional wholesale energy market, known as MISO, reducing reliance on older power plants across the Midwest.

Critics say the plant sends the state in the wrong direction by extending its reliance on coal, opening a major new source of emissions of carbon dioxide. The utility’s project director, Tom Metcalfe points out that because it burns coal at a higher temperature than older plants, it emits less carbon per unit of energy than those plants. The project received state environmental and construction permits before concerns about global warming moved to center stage in Washington and Madison. "We have been very fortunate that we had managed to obtain the permits for this project when we did," Metcalfe said. Now, as the first phase nears completion, Metcalfe says that while the utility once envisioned this being part of a wave of new coal-fired power plants around the country, instead only a few dozen will end up being built. The state Public Service Commission says that with completion of the Oak Creek plant, We Energies won't need to build more power plants until at least 2018.

Fuel Tech awarded Multiple Air Pollution Control Orders Totaling $2.6 Million; Includes SNCR Project in China

Fuel Tech, Inc. today announced receipt of multiple air pollution control contracts totaling $2.6 million. The largest of these orders, which originated in China, represents NOxOUT^®Selective Non-Catalytic Reduction (SNCR) systems for four circulating fluidized bed combustion units at an industrial plant in Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, China. Equipment deliveries for this project, which is designed to satisfy NO_x emission requirements in anticipation of the November 2010 Asian Games, are scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2010.

John F. Norris Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, “We are encouraged to have received our second NO_x control order in Guangzhou City. This province affords Fuel Tech additional NO_xcontrol opportunities as new environmental regulations have been issued in preparation for the Games, calling for the installation of systems to reduce NO_x by as much as 80 percent by September 30, 2010, with incentives provided for earlier compliance.”

Elsewhere overseas, an order was received for an ULTRA system to be installed on a coal-fired district heating plant in the Lombard region of Italy. This system will provide the ammonia source for a new SCR system being installed for NO_x control. Equipment deliveries are scheduled for the second quarter of 2010. Fuel Tech’s ULTRA process provides for the safe and cost-effective on-site conversion of safe urea reagent for use as reducing reagent in the selective catalytic reduction of NO_x, eliminating the hazards associated with the transport, storage and handling of anhydrous or aqueous ammonia.

In addition, a contract was received for a NOxOUT SNCR system for a biomass-based circulating fluidized bed combustor in California. Supplemental equipment orders for previously announced business from a domestic electric utility were also received, as well as an equipment order from a domestic manufacturing company.

Lastly, five modeling orders were secured: two from an existing Korean client; one from a Midwestern electric utility; one from a domestic oil refinery; and one from a domestic electric generating station.

Separately, Fuel Tech corrected an error in its October 26, 2009 press release, which announced the receipt of orders involving a NO_x reduction project on two medium-sized boilers, by stating that the project will only utilize HERT™ High Energy Reagent Technology™ systems and will not involve the application of Rich Reagent Injection technology.

COAL – WORLD

China to Spend Over $1 Trillion on New Power Generation in this Decade

China will be the world leader in power plant purchases during the 2010-20 period. It will spend more than $1 trillion to expand its generating capacity. This is the latest McIlvaine forecast based on data appearing in four McIlvaine online reports. The largest expenditure will be for new coal-fired power plants.

Chinese New Power Plant Construction 2010-2020

Category	Nuclear	Coal	Oil and Gas	Wind	Solar	Total
Projects in Planning	100 +	300	80	140	500	1,120
MW in Planning	140,000	400,000	30,000	70,000	10,000	650,000
% Operating by 2020	43	75	80	150	200
MW additions by 2020	60,000	300,000	24,000	100,000	20,000	504,000
% of MW of new capacity	12	60	5	20	4	100
Utilization rate	90	80	60	40	40
Equivalent Coal Baseload, MW	67,500	300,000	18,000	50,000	10,000	445,500
% of new generation (kWh)	15	67	4	11	2	100
$/MW	$4,000,000	$2,000,000	$900,000	$1,800,000	$3,000,000
Capital expenditures $billions	$240	$600	$22	$180	$60	$1,102
% Imports	20	10	20	10	10
Imports $billions	$48	$60	$4	$18	$6	$136

Over 300 coal projects are in the planning stage. It is estimated that 75 percent of them will be constructed prior to 2020. This results in 300,000 MW of new capacity. A large number of nuclear plants are in the planning stages, but only 43 percent are likely to be operating by 2020. This will create an additional 60,000 MW of base load capacity.

Any nuclear project not already in the planning stage will not be operating in 2020. However, there will be a number of new coal-fired power plants which are not yet planned but can be built prior to 2020. There will be many wind and solar projects which are not yet planned which will be operating before the end of the decade.

Oil and gas will represent a small portion of new generating capacity. There is a very ambitious wind program with estimates of new capacity as high as 190,000 MW. If 53 percent of this ambitious goal is reached by 2020, it will add 100,000 MW. However, the utilization rate is less than half that of a coal-fired power plant. So the contribution to total electricity generation in kWh is going to be only one-sixth of that supplied by the new coal-fired power plants.

There are some very large solar projects in the planning stage. However, the total amount of projected new capacity is small compared to the total new demand.

China's ability to manufacture power plant equipment has expanded significantly. China is becoming a technical leader in wind power. It is building ultra-supercritical coal-fired boilers with mostly Chinese built components. Many Chinese component suppliers are now meeting the requirements of the nuclear industry. Much of the cost of new capacity is the construction which is all local. The end result is that revenues for offshore suppliers will be about 15 percent of the total expenditures.

This forecast is based on the following McIlvaine reports:

Chinese Utility Plans,

http://www.mcilvainecompany.com/brochures/energy.html

Fossil and Nuclear World Markets, (Formerly: World Coal-Fired) http://www.mcilvainecompany.com/brochures/energy.html#n043

World Power Generation Projects http://www.mcilvainecompany.com/brochures/energy.html#40a

Renewable Energy Updates and Projects

http://www.mcilvainecompany.com/brochures/energy.html#31i

Doosan Heavy (S. Korea) wins India Coal-fired Power Plant Project

Doosan Heavy Industries and Construction, South Korea's biggest power-equipment maker, said Monday it has secured a one billion dollar order to build a coal-fired power plant in India. The 1.2 trillion-won agreement was signed with India's GMR Energy, Doosan Heavy said, adding it would build the power plant in the city of Raipur by 2013. Doosan will provide equipment worth 859 billion-won to its Indian unit, Doosan Projects India, for the project.

Mozambique Government approves 500 MW Coal-fired Power Plant Impact Study

Australia's Riversdale Mining has had an environmental impact study approved by the Mozambique government for the construction of a 500 MW coal-fired power plant in Benga, Tete province. MacauHub reported that the Benga power station project will be implemented in two phases, the first of which will produce 500 MW when its starts operating in 2013. In a second phase the plant will produce 2 GW, a production level that will depend on power transmission capacity and the proposed transmission line to be used. In a statement published on its website, the company said that it had been granted access to Mozambique's existing power grid.

GAS/OIL – US

East Kentucky Power finishes New Natural Gas Units

East Kentucky Power Cooperative announced this week that it has completed construction on two new natural gas-fueled turbines at its J.K. Smith Station in Clark County. The cooperative, which provides power to more than a half-million homes, farms and businesses, also has put online a new 36-mile transmission line that extends from Smith Station to a new substation in Garrard County. The two new natural gas turbines are the eighth and ninth such turbines at the Smith Station.

GAS/OIL – WORLD

Foster Wheeler Subsidiary Awarded Contract for NO_x Burner System Design

Foster Wheeler AG announced Wednesday that a subsidiary of its Global Power Group has been awarded a contract to design and supply a Low NO_x Burner System for the Spanish utility company ENDESA. The Low NO_x Burner System will be integrated in the Compostilla Power Plant, Unit 3 (330 MWe) located in Ponferrada, Leon, Spain. Foster Wheeler has received a notice to proceed on this contract. This Low NO_x Burner System is the third awarded to Foster Wheeler by ENDESA for the Compostilla Power Plant (after Units 4 & 5). When Unit 3 reaches full operation, all three operating units at the facility will be capable of operating at NO_x levels below the most restrictive emission levels according to local regulation and with flyash of sufficient quality to permit the plant to sell this waste product to local cement producers. Commercial operation is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2010.

GE Technology to convert Conventional Power Plant into Cogeneration Facility in Mexico

GE will supply two Frame 7FA gas turbines for Nuevo PEMEX, a 300 MW cogeneration plant located in the state of Tabasco, Mexico. GE’s 7FA gas turbine has the capability to burn natural gas with high nitrogen content, which fits the profile of the available fuel at the Nuevo PEMEX site. In addition, GE has signed a 20-year Contractual Service Agreement (CSA) to provide a full range of plant services, including planned and unplanned maintenance.

The new cogeneration plant will be owned by a consortium made up of Abener and Abengoa Mexico and will supply steam and power to PEMEX, Mexico’s state-owned oil and gas company, for use at PEMEX’s existing natural gas processing facility at the site. The cogeneration plant will be able to generate between 550 and 800 tons of process steam per hour.

Abener and Abengoa Mexico are part of Abeinsa, the Industrial Engineering and Construction arm of the Abengoa business group.

Magellan to build 132 MW Gas-fired Power Plant in Ghana

Magellan Aerospace has signed an agreement with the Republic of Ghana to provide a turnkey natural gas-fired combined cycle power plant in Ghana for $187 million over a 24-month period. Magellan's Orenda Aerospace unit in Canada will deliver the gas-fired plant. The joint venture of HPI Technologies Inc. and S&W Energy Solutions will supply steam turbines as well as the balance of plant engineering, procurement and construction services to Magellan for the project. The project is expected to produce 132 MW of power for Ghana. Magellan will obtain four 25 MW combined cycle gas turbines for packaging that will be able to run on either liquid fuel, such as light crude oil or diesel fuel, or natural gas.

The turbines will be provided by Zorya-Mashproekt in Ukraine and will be packaged in Canada. The Canadian Commercial Corp., Canada's international contracting agency, took on the role of prime contractor, signing the commercial contract with Ghana's Ministry of Energy and another with Magellan to facilitate the power plant delivery.

International Power's 110 MW Cogen Project in Thailand

International Power has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA), an engineering procurement and construction (EPC) agreement and has successfully completed the financing for Thai National Power 2 (TNP2), a 110 MW gas fired cogeneration project. The TNP2 project will be located on a site adjacent to International Power's existing 143 MW Thai National Power (TNP) gas-fired power plant. The majority of the output from the new plant (90 MW) will be sold to the Energy Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), under a 25-year PPA, with the balance of up to 20 MW sold to industrial users. The new plant, which will be operational in 2012, will be owned and operated as a 100 percent subsidiary of the existing TNP project.

The TNP2 project will be constructed by IHI/Jurong under a fixed price, turnkey EPC contract utilising GE LM6000PF gas turbines. Natural gas will be supplied by the Petroleum Authority of Thailand under a 25-year gas supply agreement.

Wärtsilä to supply Equipment and Engineering for 119 MW plant on Greek Island of Rhodes

Wärtsilä has been contracted to supply the equipment and engineering for a 119 MW power plant being built on the island of Rhodes in Greece. The order has been placed by Terna S.A., who has been awarded the overall project contract by Public Power Corporation S.A., the national electricity utility of Greece. Terna S.A. is one of the three major Civil and Energy contractors in Greece. The plant is scheduled to become fully operational during the second half of 2011.

RWE npower considering Gas-fired Power Plant in England

RWE npower said on Thursday it may build a gas-fired power plant at Tilbury in Essex, UK to replace its old coal-fired unit, which is due to close by 2016. The existing Tilbury power station is scheduled to close under the European Large Combustion Plant Directive (LCPD). A new gas plant could provide up to 2,000 MW of electricity, enough power for around three million homes. "This is just an option at this stage, but our Tilbury site is an excellent one for power generation. It has good energy infrastructure and is close to areas of high electricity demand," Kevin McCullough, Chief Technical Officer for RWE npower, said in a statement. "Gas generation has a part to play in our energy mix alongside coal, renewables and nuclear projects," he said.

The company may use a plot of land it identified for fitting carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology if, and when, this technology became viable. The company said one method it might consider is using an Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) plant to turn coal into a gas to fuel a power plant. "The development of CCS technologies is essential if we are to meet national carbon emissions targets, and maintain secure supplies of electricity," McCullough said. "A modern gas station at the Tilbury site would be `CCS ready' and, in the future, could enable us to capture CO₂ from our plant using this."

CO₂

Carbon Sciences announces Advancements in CO₂-to-Fuel Technology

Carbon Sciences, Inc., the developer of a technology to recycle carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions into gasoline and other fuels, announced a major breakthrough this week that will reduce system costs and speed up commercialization of the technology. The company’s enzyme-based process previously required pure carbon dioxide and pure water. But, according to CEO Byron Elton, “the source of the carbon dioxide, in most cases, isn’t going to be pure.”

A Carbon Sciences scientist invented a way to convert CO₂ to fuel using brackish water and un-pure carbon dioxide, such as flue emissions directly from coal-fired power plants or industrial facilities. The process can also be performed at room temperature conditions and is not energy intensive. Carbon Sciences’ success has also been due to the company’s "small particle technology,” which allows the enzymes to continue to thrive at commercially viable levels. “The challenge with enzymes is that they don’t last very long,” Elton said. “You have to replace the enzymes on a regular basis. The resulting gallon of gasoline is very expensive and not marketable.”

The company, which is planning to pursue a licensing model, thinks China and the United States are both likely markets for its technology. China is specifically of interest because the country expects to turn on roughly one new coal-fired power plant per week as a result of its population growth and exploding demand for energy.

RWE may build Dutch Carbon Capture Plant amid German Opposition

RWE said public opposition to storing carbon dioxide in Germany may push it to build a coal-fired power plant with carbon capture facilities in the Netherlands instead. “We’d like to do it in Germany,” Rolf Martin Schmitz, a management board member, said in an interview. “But if it doesn’t work here and we still need to develop it, then we’ll go somewhere else.”

RWE shelved plans to build a power plant with carbon capture and storage (CCS) near Cologne due to public opposition and the government’s failure to adopt a law supporting the technology. While CCS legislation is still expected later this year, the utility needs public backing to make investments, Schmitz said. Local residents and lawmakers have called for a ban on underground carbon storage, arguing that it could be dangerous and lower real estate prices.

The company is considering the Dutch port of Eemshaven as a possible alternative site, especially since RWE completed its acquisition of Dutch utility Essent NV in September. The Netherlands supports small-scale CCS projects and it wants to encourage the start of several larger demonstration projects by 2015. The Dutch government allowed a carbon storage project by Shell in Barendrecht, the Netherlands, to proceed this week despite local opposition and amid safety concerns (see related story).

Dutch Parliament approves Carbon Storage Trial despite Public Objections

In spite of residents' protests, the Dutch parliament this week approved the construction of an experimental underground carbon dioxide storage facility beneath the town of Barendrecht. The Netherlands hopes carbon capture and storage (CCS) will help it meet its greenhouse gas emission reduction target of 30 percent below 1990 levels by 2020. The government commissioned Shell Oil Company to capture ten million tonnes of carbon dioxide from one of its oil refineries, but the company would not participate in the project unless nearby oil fields under Barendrecht were available for storage.

In December, hundreds of furious Barendrechters attended an information session with the Environmental Minister to protest the storage of CO₂ under their backyards. Despite the minister’s assurance, backed by several studies, that the trial is perfectly safe, residents questioned why a densely populated residential area would have been chosen as the site for the experiment. The answer is that Barendrecht lies on top of two fields that are nearly exhausted and ideal for storage, and are close to a major industrial hub. To temper Barendrecht’s worries, the government has instituted a fund to compensate for any damage arising from the project. As a further condition of Parliament's approval, the Environmental Minister must deliver a report within three months showing that the trial is absolutely necessary for the country to meet its greenhouse gas reduction target.

SEC Votes to Encourage Corporate Disclosure of Climate Change Risk

Political feuding over global warming reached the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Wednesday when commissioners, divided on party lines, voted to encourage companies to disclose the effects of climate change on their business. SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro, an Obama administration appointee, said the agency wasn't weighing in on the global-warming debate, but wanted to ensure that investors get reliable information.

Social investment groups have been urging the SEC for years to require more disclosure on climate matters. Insurance companies are among those affected by the SEC action. The agency said insurers may want to consider disclosing whether severe weather or changes in sea levels might increase the risk of claims in coastal regions. The SEC also said companies should weigh disclosure on how pending rules or laws might affect the bottom line. For example, it noted, goods that produce significant greenhouse-gas emissions might see lower demand.

Obama Pushes Senate on Climate Bill, Says it is good for the Economy

In his State of the Union address on Wednesday, President Barack Obama pressed for Senate action on “comprehensive” energy and climate change legislation this year and appealed to skeptics of global warming to back the plan on economic grounds.

“I am grateful to the House for passing such a bill last year. This year, I am eager to help advance the bipartisan effort in the Senate,” Obama said. “I know there have been questions about whether we can afford such changes in a tough economy; and I know that there are those who disagree with the overwhelming scientific evidence on climate change,” he added. “But here’s the thing – even if you doubt the evidence, providing incentives for energy efficiency and clean energy are the right thing to do for our future. Because the nation that leads the clean energy economy will be the nation that leads the global economy. And America must be that nation.”

Obama also emphasized support for new nuclear power plants, “clean” coal technologies and wider offshore drilling. The comments come as Senators John Kerry (D-MA.), Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Joe Lieberman (I-CT) are seeking a bipartisan compromise that blends emissions limits with increased domestic energy production, including more oil, natural gas and nuclear energy.

NUCLEAR

Israel Electric Considering Nuclear Power instead of Coal-fired

Israel Electric Corporation (IEC) is considering building a nuclear power plant at Shabta in the Negev, as well as a huge solar energy plant, instead of building the coal-fired power plant due to come on line in 2020. IEC's current development plan for 2020 (Project E) includes construction of an Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) power plant, in addition to the coal-fired power plant planned for construction near Ashkelon which is due to come on line in 2015 (Project D). However, IEC deputy CEO and VP production and transport Moshe Bachar said that the company was considering building a 1,200-MW nuclear power plant and a 1,000-MWt solar energy plant instead. Bachar said that Israel's future energy economy would be based on environmentally friendly energy sources: nuclear power, natural gas, and renewable energy. The company will only use coal-fired power plants as back-up and to secure electricity supplies.

Rosatom will build Nuclear Power Plants in Haripur, West Bengal, India

Russia will build six to eight nuclear power generating units in Haripur in West Bengal, the head of Russian Atomic Energy Corporation (Rosatom), Sergei Kiriyenko said. ''We have been discussing this site for four years. As a result the Indian government has made a decision and has given us a new construction site in Haripur. This is another six units as a minimum and eight units as a maximum,'' he said. ''The first and second power generating units for the Kudamkulam nuclear power plant are at the final stage. By the end of the year specialists will commission them,'' Kiriyenko said.

BUSINESS

GE plans Long Time in Thailand

General Electric Co., on Tuesday signed a 13-year deal to maintain gas turbines for Thailand’s largest chemical producer, PTT Chemical Public Co. Ltd. The new contractual service agreement signals a longer-term interest to build business in the emerging economy. The deal covers three GE Frame 5 gas turbines and six Frame 6 gas turbines at PTT Chemical’s site in Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate, Rayong Province.

Environmental Group to sue Salem Power Station

Salem Harbor Station power plant violated the federal Clean Air Act nearly 300 times over the past five years, according to a lawsuit an environmental watchdog group said it plans to file. The Conservation Law Foundation of Boston (CLF), which has been trying for years to close the Salem plant, announced yesterday that it will file a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Boston seeking more than $1 million in penalties against the plant owner, Dominion Energy New England. The lawsuit alleges that the coal-and-oil-fired facility exceeded its "opacity" limits a total of 286 times between 2005 and 2009. The opacity, or density of the gas stream coming from the smokestacks, is a strong indicator of the amount of soot, or small particles of metals, chemicals and ash in the emissions, the lawsuit alleges. CLF said it is analyzing additional material, including periods when the opacity monitors were not working, and may add more potential violations to its lawsuit. Failure to monitor the plant is also a violation, the group said. The CLF said it is tracking the four coal-fired power plants in Massachusetts and will file the court action against only Salem because it hasn't completed work on the other plants.

A spokesman for Virginia-based Dominion said the plant "operates in compliance with federal and state environmental regulations, including those of the commonwealth of Massachusetts, which are among the most rigorous environmental regulations in the country." "CLF is notifying everyone of its intent to file a lawsuit," Dan Genest said, "and any response would come only if a lawsuit is actually filed and after we have had the opportunity to review it." A spokesman at the state DEP said the agency has seen the lawsuit and is reviewing it.

Siemens wins Nanotech Research Award from Illinois Clean Coal Institute

Siemens Energy won an 18-month, $300,000 R&D program by the Illinois Clean Coal Institute to study the effects of coal and coal-derived syngas combustion on the behavior of material and coating degradation in utility boiler and gas turbine environments. Focus areas of the research program will explore materials degradation modes in integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) systems and utility boilers. The program will evaluate super alloy and alternative coatings, including nanotechnology materials suitable for use in flue gas streams from the combustion of coal, syngas, high hydrogen fuels and from future oxy-fuel fired systems. The focus of the work is to address the key customer question: "For a given fuel specification and material system, what is the predicted life time under high temperature corrosive and erosive operating conditions?"

The 18-month research project, which started on January 1, 2010, will be performed by boiler and turbine engineers and advanced materials development engineers in Orlando, Florida, with support from research scientists at Siemens Corporate Technology in Munich, Germany. The program goal is to design stable, durable advanced material systems for use in the aggressive environments associated with coal-fired boilers and gas turbines that operate on syngas or high hydrogen fuels.

“The program results will help lead to technical solutions for a gas turbine burning syngas to perform similarly to gas turbines fueled by natural gas in terms of efficiency, NO_x emissions and reliability,” said Frank Bevc, Director, Technology Policy and Research Programs at Siemens Energy, Inc. “The project contributes to minimizing the technical and commercial risks of converting the next generation of IGCC plants, including carbon capture systems, to make them greenhouse gas "capture-ready,” added Bevc. “Advances in power generation place more stringent requirements on materials of construction,” said the Director of the Illinois Clean Coal Institute, Dr. Francois Botha. “Siemens’ history of R&D in this area makes them suitable to investigate material issues for the 21st century.”

PLN Seeks to Kick-Start 40 Stalled Independent Power Plant Projects

State electricity company PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara intends to re-start 40 power plant construction projects involving independent producers within a year. Murtaqi Syamsuddin, PLN’s director of business and risk management, on Monday, told the House of Representatives’ Commission VII which oversees energy issues that PLN would review the projects until March and would then begin to negotiate with the independent power producers (IPP). “Should the negotiations fail, we will take the cases to arbitration,” he said.

PLN said it would give IPPs and their potential financial backers more detailed information at the beginning of the tender process. This would speed up the process of finalizing terms with IPPs, Murtaqi said. PLN will build 5,118 MW of capacity, just more than half of the program’s designated capacity. The government is hoping to encourage independent power producers to build the rest.

German Antitrust Authority proposes E.ON, RWE sell Coal Plants if Nuclear Phase-out Delayed

Utilities including RWE and E.ON could be forced to sell coal-fired power plants in exchange for extended operations at their nuclear power plants, under proposals by the German Federal Antitrust Office. Nuclear power plants are Germany's most profitable large-scale power generators and investors in E.ON, RWE, Energie Baden-Wuerttemberg (EnBW) and Sweden's Vattenfall were eyeing billions of euros of extra profits, reports Reuters. The German government wants to change a law requiring the nuclear plants to be shut down by the mid-2020s.

Competitors to Germany's four largest utilities - which control 80 percent of the energy market - argue they have made plans to build new power plants on the basis of a phase-out of nuclear power. The German government wants to agree to the framework of an extension before parliament's summer recess and set a final plan by autumn, Economy Minister Rainer Bruederle said.

Seven Groups in contention for New Power Projects in Oman

The Oman Daily Observer reports that seven groups are now in contention for a contract award linked to the development of two major Independent Power Projects (IPPs) at Barka and Sohar in the Batinah region, Oman. The consortiums are led by International Power, ACWA Power, Mapna Group, GDF Suez, Marubeni Corporation, KEPCO/Saudi Oger Ltd, and Lanco Infratech Limited. Their bids were opened at the Tender Board yesterday, although offer values and technical proposals were not disclosed. An eighth bidder, Balkan Energy, did not figure in the shortlist, presumably having failed prequalification criteria set by Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP), which is overseeing the procurement of the two IPPs in an international competitive tender.

According to officials, commercial and technical proposals submitted by the selected parties will be evaluated over the next couple of months before a preferred bidder is named for either or both of the IPPs. The successful bidder will win state-owned OPWP's mandate to build either or both of the proposed power projects, each at around 650 MW of power generation capacity. Barka III and Sohar II will be based on fuel efficient combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) technology, powered by natural gas. Neither project will have any desalination component.

HOT TOPIC HOUR

Improving ESP Efficiency was the Hot Topic on January 28

Five experts were able to address questions from a very knowledgeable audience in the 2-hour Hot Topic session yesterday. How do you define efficiency? Is it based on discrete particles or on totals including condensibles such as sulfuric acid mist? Even the division line between metal particles and acid vapor is blurred. What about selenium and mercury which are vapors at ESP temperatures? If you are judging efficiency based on opacity, how different are the conclusions than if it is based on mg/m³? Is efficiency based on tons per year in versus tons per year out, or on a three hour test sometime during the year?

In one 2-hour session it was possible to shed a little light on this complex subject.

Yougen Kong, P.E., Ph.D., Technical Development Manager at Solvay Chemicals, Inc., explained that trona is a better alternative to SO₃ for conditioning electrostatic precipitators. Using SO₃ to condition the flue gas of boilers burning low-sulfur coal is going to be less attractive with mercury control; SO₃ inhibits the mercury removal by either flyash or powdered activated carbon (PAC). A better alternative is to inject trona into the flue gas upstream of a hot-side or cold-side ESP. It can lower the resistivity of the flyash and solve the problem of back corona due to “sodium depletion” on hot-side ESPs. In addition, the added trona can remove SO₃ and thus improve mercury removal. The trona addition system is simple and its capital cost is much lower than that of an SO₃ production and injection system.

In the question and answer period, Yougen observed that the selenium removal was substantially higher with the trona injection. Bob McIlvaine postulated that this could be the “tail wagging the dog.” If a utility plant is facing a big expense to remove selenium from its wastewater then maybe the trona injection can be justified on this aspect alone. Coincidently one of the utilities participating in the session volunteered that it had both successfully piloted trona and was facing a selenium discharge problem in its FGD wastewater. So it seems that this is a valid and important advantage of trona injection.

Harry Wheeler, Environmental Services Operations, Alstom Power, discussed how the performance of existing ESPs can be enhanced by utilizing multiple techniques. PM removal efficiency within the confines of a box can improve by changing electrode geometry (plate spacing), internals like discharge electrodes, rapping system as well as by replacing conventional T/R sets with high frequency power supplies and advanced controllers. Although fabric filters are more widely used in greenfield power plants as the PM collector with activated carbon systems for mercury control, proven technology is now available to achieve a high rate of mercury removal keeping the existing ESP as the PM collector.

Harry, in answering a question on wide plate spacing, observed that the wide plates are more forgiving. A ½ inch misalignment at 18 inches is not nearly as significant as ½ inch at 9 inches spacing. Alstom’s experience with biomass co-firing leads them to believe it will not cause particulate problems which cannot be addressed.

Paul Leanza, Senior Technical Engineer for Post Combustion Control Equipment at Pollution Control Services, Inc., focused on the precipitator’s ability to achieve the future PM_2.5 regulations. The majority of existing ESPs are not operating under their original design basis. Many existing ESPs have not been upgraded with modern operating philosophies or equipment. Taking a holistic approach in evaluating the precipitator in its current operating parameters permits a viable plan to go forward, as the operating parameters have been modified as additional post-combustion control equipment like SO₂, SO₃, NO_x, and Hg control have been incorporated over the last 15 years.

Paul’s comment that even the re-design of the outlet box on an ESP will change the flow characteristics was seconded by Harry Wheeler. Paul also pointed out that the SCR can help or hurt precipitator operations. It is likely to change the inlet flow distribution. The right amount of ammonia slip can help whereas an excess will result in emission problems.

Helmut Herder, Vice-President, Environmental Technology Division of NWL, described how and why use of the Power Plus SMPS improves the collection efficiency of an ESP while using less power (KVA input). When asked how the yearly emissions in tons compares after SMPS is installed, Helmut stated that the high reliability of Power Plus makes it efficient throughout the campaign. He showed graphs pointing to the higher percent reduction of small particles (PM_2.5) with Power Plus.

Jonathan (Jon) Barr, Vice-President Sales & Marketing, ADA-ES (ADA Environmental Solutions LLC), addressed the problems with coal-fired power plants which use SO₃ to improve the performance of their ESPs with PRB coal. If these plants are required to control mercury emissions and use activated carbon, the SO₃ can reduce the carbon's effectiveness and reduce the efficiency of the mercury removal. ADA has a patented flue gas conditioning chemical that is an effective SO₃ replacement and does not interfere with activated carbon's ability to adsorb mercury.

The capital costs of the system are low. Chemical costs are somewhat higher than molten sulfur but when one compares the combination of molten sulfur plus excess carbon vs. the ADA approach, the total life cycle cost for the ADA approach is quite favorable.

The entire recording can be heard at: Improving ESP Performance 116 minutes Password: hth219

The Bios, abstracts and photos can be viewed as follows: BIOS, PHOTOS, ABSTRACTS - JANUARY 28, 2010.htm

The individual slides are located in our Particulate Decision Tree as follows:

Jonathan Barr – ADA-ES

Start

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Particulate Removal

►

Physical

►

Flue Gas Conditioning

►

Sources

►

ADA-ES

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Products

Particulate Continuing Decision Process For: Products

Flue Gas Conditioning as an SO₃ Replacement with Mercury Control, presented by Jonathan Barr - ADA-ES. Hot Topic Hour January 28, 2010.

http://www.mcilvainecompany.com/Particulate_Decision_Tree/subscriber/Tree/DescriptionTextLinks/Jon Barr - ADA - 1-28-10.pdf

Yougen Kong – Solvay Chemicals

Start

►

Particulate Removal

►

Physical

►

Flue Gas Conditioning

►

Sources

►

Solvay

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Products

Particulate Continuing Decision Process For: Products

A Better Alternative to SO₃ for conditioning Electrostatic Precipitators, presented by Yougen Kong - Solvay Chemicals, Inc. Hot Topic Hour January 28, 2010.

http://www.mcilvainecompany.com/Particulate_Decision_Tree/subscriber/Tree/DescriptionTextLinks/Yougen Kong - Solvay Chemicals - 01-28-2010.pdf

Helmut Heider - NWL

Start

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Particulate Removal

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Physical

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Component Specification

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Precipitators

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Power Supplies

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Switch Mode Power Supply

►

Sources

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NWL

Particulate Continuing Decision Process For: NWL

Contacts

Electrostatic Precipitators PowerPlus SMPS Solutions, presented by Helmut Heider, NWL. Hot Topic Hour January 28, 2010.

http://www.mcilvainecompany.com/Particulate_Decision_Tree/subscriber/Tree/DescriptionTextLinks/Helmut Herder - NWL - 1-28-10.pdf

Harry Wheeler and Tapan Mukherjee – Alstom Power

Start

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Particulate Removal

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Procedural

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Maintenance & Operation

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Options

Particulate Continuing Decision Process For: Options

Methods Utilized to Improve Precipitator Performance, presented by Tapan Mukherjee and Harry Wheeler - Alstom. Hot Topic Hour January 28, 2010.

http://www.mcilvainecompany.com/Particulate_Decision_Tree/subscriber/Tree/DescriptionTextLinks/Tapan Mukherjee - Alstom Power - Jan. 28, 2010.pdf

Paul Leanza - Pollution Control Services (PCS)

Start

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Particulate Removal

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Procedural

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Maintenance & Operation

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Options

Particulate Continuing Decision Process For: Options

Evaluate Existing ESP, presented by Paul Leanza, PCS. Hot Topic Hour January 28, 2010.

http://www.mcilvainecompany.com/Particulate_Decision_Tree/subscriber/Tree/DescriptionTextLinks/Paul Leanza - Pollution Control Services 01-28-10.pdf

Have your Questions Answered and Problems Discussed

"Hot Topic Hours are intended to allow persons in and associated with the utility industry to discuss their current concerns and obtain information that will help them solve problems, improve their operations, and plan for the future. Future Hot Topic Hours offer participants the opportunity to have their questions answered by the experts that participate. They also offer companies the opportunity to tell the industry about the latest developments in the performance of equipment and systems in use at power plants and the latest technologies being developed and tested. If you have specific questions or problems that you would like addressed during a future Hot Topic Hour, are interested in making a presentation or have a specific subject you like to see discussed during a future Hot Topic Hour, please contact Jim Downey at (847) 784-0012 x 210 or jdowney@mcilvainecompany.com. The following is a list of Hot Topics that are currently being considered for future sessions. Hot Topic Hours are on Thursday at 10 a.m. unless otherwise noted.

Upcoming Hot Topic Hours

* = Friday Hot Topic Hour

DATE	HOT TOPIC HOUR
	2010

February 1-4	EUEC Interviews
February 11	Fuel Impacts on SCR Catalyst (including biomass) MORE
February 12*	Cement MACT Issues and Solutions 1 MORE
February 18	Boiler and Cooling Water Treatment MORE
February 25	Greenhouse Gas Strategies for Coal-fired Plant Operators MORE
March 11	CFB Technology and Clean Coal (Update on CFB Reactor Technology)
March 12*	Cement MACT Issues and Solutions 2
March 18	Mist Eliminators
March 25	Mercury Control or Mercury Removal Status and Cost
March 30	Portland Cement Association MACT Meeting
	Wind Option
	Impact of Ambient Air Rules for PM_2.5 and Ozone
	Advanced Coal Combustion
	Air Toxics
	Update on Oxy-Fuel Combustion
	Booster Fan Design and Materials
	Multi-emissions Control
	Update on IGCC (Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle)
	On-line Boiler Monitoring
	Advances in Coal Blending/Switching
	NO_x Control - Low NO_x Technology Update
	Carbon Management Technologies
	Material Handling in Coal Plants
	SO₃ Measurement and Control
	Gas Turbine Operation & Maintenance
	Optimization Systems
	Co-firing Biomass, Sewage Sludge, Municipal Waste

ACCESSING ALL THE PROJECTS AND INFORMATION ONLINE

This Utility E-Alert is part of the Utility Upgrade Environmental Tracking System. The system allows you to instantly retrieve project details, profiles of each coal-fired plant worldwide, the right contacts at the OEM and A/E firms and summaries of all the scheduled FGD and SCR projects. You need a user name and password to access this system. If you have forgotten your user name or password or are not sure whether you are eligible to access this system, Email: editor@mcilvainecompany.com.

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Table of Contents

COAL – U.S.

COAL – U.S.

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