Homer City Generating Station

Infobox Power Station
station_name=Homer City Generating Station


caption=
location=Center Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania
owner=Edison International
status=Active
fuel_type=Bituminous coal
mine_type=Local Pennsylvania, or Western Pennsylvania Pittsburgh seam
conveyance=Rail
cooling_water=Two Lick Reservoir, Two Lick Creek, and Blacklick Creek
technology=Steam
combined_cycle=
turbines=Steam turbine
reciprocating_engines=
pumped_storage=
max_capacity=2,022 MWe
commissioned=Units 1, 2: 1969; Unit 3 1977
decommissioned=
extra=

Homer City Generating Station is a 2-GW coal-burning power station near Homer City, in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, USA. It is owned by Edison International and operated by its subsidiary Midwest Generation. Units 1 and 2, rated at 660 MWe, were launched into operation in 1969. Unit 3, rated at 692 MWe nameplate capacity, was launched in 1977. [cite web
title = Existing Electric Generating Units in the United States, 2006
work =
publisher = Energy Information Administration, U.S. Department of Energy
year = 2006
url = http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/page/capacity/capacity.html
format = Excel
doi =
accessdate = 2008-07-14] It employs about 260 people (75% union workers), and generates enough electricity to supply two million households.cite web
title = Homer City Generating Station
work =
publisher = Edison International
year = 2005
url = http://www.edison.com/files/2005_factsheet_homercity.pdf
format = PDF
doi =
accessdate = 2008-08-02]

Location

The station is located in Center Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania, occupying approximately convert|2400|acre|km2. The site also includes the convert|1800|acre|km2|adj=on Two Lick Reservoir, a water conservation facility which is operated by the station.

Coal supply

As of 2005, bituminous coal was delivered to the Homer City Generating Station by truck. Units 1 and 2 burned local Pennsylvania coal (that is cleaned on site in a coal cleaning plant) or Western Pennsylvania Pittsburgh seam coal. A flue gas desulfurization unit (scrubber) was added to Unit 3 which allows the unit to burn local coal. But now with diminishing local coal and mines to support it, they have reopened the train track that runs through Indiana University of Pennsylvania and now supplies are brought in by train.Fact|date=January 2008

Water use

Boiler water make up, condenser cooling water and potable water is taken from Two Lick Creek, processed throughvarious pretreatment facilities, used and discharged through various environmental treatment facilities and returned to
Two Lick Creek and Blacklick Creek.

Pollution

This plant is a major polluter, ranking highly both nationally and within the state, recently releasing convert|8500000|lb|metric ton of toxic chemicals according to the "Pittsburgh Post Gazette". Pennsylvania has ranked it the #2 polluter in the state. Homer City Generating Station releases huge amounts of mercury, sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, and other toxic or damaging chemicals. A scrubber was added in 1998 which reduced mercury output.

Mercury pollution

* In 1998, Homer City Generating Station produced a total (air and other) of convert|2963|lb|kg of mercury according to the Environmental Working Group.
* In 2002, one source (cleartheair.org) claims its air output of mercury was convert|545|lb|kg.
* For 2003 another source (Environment Maine Research and Policy Center) claims it produced convert|665|lb|kg of mercury air pollution.

Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) pollution

* In 1995, Homer City put out convert|127383|lb|metric ton of SO₂.
* In 2003, Homer City put out convert|151262|lb|metric ton of SO₂ and was ranked SO₂ polluter #4 in the nation.

elenium in wastewater discharges

In 2007, Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has fined the owners of the Homer City electricity generating station, EME Homer City Generation LP, $200,000 for violating the Pennsylvania Clean Streams Law. The station exceeded its permitted effluent standards for selenium, total suspended solids, and biochemical oxygen demand in its wastewater discharges, and allowed unpermitted discharges of stormwater associated with its flue gas desulfurization scrubbers. "The facility has exceeded the effluent standards of its permit numerous times between December 2001 and the present, and this pattern of violations has to be addressed," DEP Southwest Regional Director Kenneth Bowman was quoted saying. [cite web
title = DEP fines Homer City generating station $200,000 for selenium discharges
work =
publisher = Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
year = 2007
date = July 13, 2007
url = http://www.state.pa.us/papower/cwp/view.asp?A=11&Q=465447
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-08-02]

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions

In 2003, Homer City put out convert|14000000|lb|metric ton of CO₂ and was ranked CO₂ emitter #28 in the nation.

According to Public Citizen: "The plant ranks #33 in the nation for total CO₂ emissions, contributing 13,745,174 tonsdubious of the pollutant primarily responsible for global warming to our atmosphere."

Architectural Mention

The plant's Unit 3 has a 371 metre (1,217 ft.) tall chimney, which was built in 1977. This chimney is currently the third tallest chimney in the world, and the tallest in the United States. On clear days, it is possible to spot the chimney from as far south as Greensburg, Pennsylvania. Also on clear days, you can see the Pittsburgh Airport, which is 50 miles away.Fact|date=January 2008

ee also

*List of chimneys
*List of towers
*List of tallest freestanding structures in the world

References

External links

* [http://www.theoec.org/pdfs/pressrelease/hottopics_pr_ctapotr.pdf 2005 toxic output numbers]
* [http://www.whitehouseforsale.org/documents/dirtiest_plants2.pdf Dirtiest Plants 2003]
* [http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05132/503228.stm Post Gazette article]
* [http://www.ewg.org/reports_content/mercuryfalling/MercuryFalling.pdf Environmental Working Group article Mercury Falling]
* [http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_103122.html Pennsylvania plant rankings]
* [http://www.citizen.org/cmep/energy_enviro_nuclear/electricity/deregulation/articles.cfm?ID=4177 Public Citizen mention of pollution from Homer City power plant]
* [http://www.maine.com/editions/2005-09-15/images/1126280354.pdf Survey of major mercury polluters in USA]
* [http://pa.lwv.org/indiana/pa_rep/index.htm Mention of Homer City scrubber]
* [http://www.skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?b4779 Diagram of Unit 3 - Skyscraper Page]