Wisconsin Public Services to spend £250 million to upgrade Wausau coal boiler

• 12 years ago (2012-05-08)
• David Flin

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Wisconsin Public Services Corporation (WPS) has announced that it plans to spend $250 million to upgrade a coal-fired boiler in Wausau so that it meets US Federal clean air rules. WPS announced the project as it filed an application with the state Public Service Commission to approve the plan, which includes regenerative activated coke technology (REACT), which has been used in Europe, but has not yet been used in the USA.

The project is to upgrade Weston 3, a 31-year-old 350 MW coal-fired power plant that is the second largest unit in the WPS fleet. WPS said that the project would be paid for by its customers in northern Wisconsin.

The US Environmental Protection Agency has issued a notice of violation against WPS that alleges that the company made modifications to its power plants without upgrading them to meet pollution standards. The utility said in a filing that it is in discussions with the EPA over proposals that have been exchanged to resolve the matter. WPS said that the retrofit will help it comply with the EPA notice as well as meet the state mercury rule and federal air pollution rules proposed in recent years.

Howard Giesler, General Manager of Weston plant, said: “We’ve decided to upgrade Weston 3 to ensure its viability as an electric generator in a climate of future uncertainty regarding environmental regulations. Adding this new, but proven, technology will position the unit to be in compliance with future EPA regulations, while enabling the production of safe, clean, reliable and economical electricity.”

WPS said the technology would help the plant reduce emissions of sulphur dioxide and mercury by more than 90 percent, and emissions of nitrogen oxides by more than 20 percent.