Hudson Generating Station

Hudson Generating Station in Jersey City, New Jersey is a two-unit, 1,115-megawatt power plant, owned and operated by PSE&G (PSEG). Unit 1 produces electricity by burning natural gas. Unit 2 (nominal 660 MW) runs mainly on coal, but it can also use [natural gas] . [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] When running on solid fuel, Unit 2 burns only low sulfur coal to reduce the emissions of sulfur dioxide and utilizes an electrostatic precipitator to control particulate emissions.

Location

The Hudson Generating Station occupies a 250 acre site at coord|40|44|50|N|74|04|21|W|display=inline,title, north of the intersection of Duffield and Van Keuren Avenues. It is located on the Hackensack River in Jersey City, three miles upstream from Newark Bay.

History

The Hudson Generating Station was built on the site of the former Marion Generating Station, the first PSEG plant, which started operation in 1906. The Marion Station was the largest in the PSEG fleet until 1924. The bulk of the Marion station was retired in 1961, as construction on the Hudson Station began. Unit 1 was installed in 1964. Unit 2 was installed in 1968. Both units are load following units now. [ [http://www.pseg.com/companies/fossil/plants/hudson.jsp The Hudson Generating Station ] ] Unit 3, a gas-burning turbine, was installed in ??? and shut down in ??? (some time after 1998).

Current developments

On July 23, 2007, The Shaw Group was awarded a contract worth US $75 million to install mercury control, flue gas desulphurization, and selective catalytic reduction systems on Unit 2. These air emissions controls systems are scheduled for completion by the end of 2010. [cite news
url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2007_July_23/ai_n19378733
publisher=Business Wire
date=July 23, 2007
accessdate=2008-06-17
title=Shaw Awarded Engineering, Procurement and Construction Management Contract by PSEG Fossil for Air Emissions Controls Systems at the Hudson Generating Station]

Fuel supply

Unit 2 typically burns a low-sulphur coal from West Virginia. In May of 1996, a test on that coal indicated a 0.056 ppm (by weight) mercury content. Citation
author = Haythornthwaite, S.; Ruhl, J.; Slye, R.; Butz, J.
contribution =
contribution-url =
title = "Assessing air pollution Control Options at the Hudson Station of Public Service Electric and Gas"
year = 1998
pages =
place = Palo Alto, CA, and Newark, NJ
publisher = EPRI and PSEG
url = http://www.epriweb.com/public/TR-110867.pdf
doi =
id = TR-110867]

Water use

Emissions

Habitats and Environment

Ospreys

In 1997 PSE&G officials discovered failed attempts by ospreys to build nests on a transmission tower at the Hudson Generating Station. To encourage ospreys to roost along the Hackensack River, Public Service Electric and Gas Co. erected a nesting platform atop a utility pole at the Hudson Generating Station the following year. The platform was built by students from the Hudson Liberty Council's Boy Scouts of America and the Urban League of Hudson County's youth build program. [ [http://www.wildnj.com/br1.htm Wild New Jersey - Ospreys on the Hackensack ] ] However, the first osprey chick to hatch in the New Jersey Meadowlands since the early 20th century took to the air only on July 13, 2007, from its nest located at PSEG's Hudson Generating Station. [ [http://www.hackensackriverkeeper.org/press_release.php?ID=131 Hackensack Riverkeeper Press Release ] ]

Conflicts and controversies

References