WAUSAU, Wis., Dec. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Following 25 years of successful operation, Wisconsin Public Service Corporation, a subsidiary of WPS Resources Corporation is requesting state regulators to approve the addition of new environmental controls at the company's 330- megawatt Weston Power Plant Unit 3.
"Weston 3 has been the backbone of the electric system in central Wisconsin since 1981 when it began operating," said Kelly Zagrzebski, Wisconsin Public Service. "It served us well for the past 25 years. Now is a good time to update some of the unit's systems and equipment and get it ready for many future years of operation," added Zagrzebski. "This will only complement the new 500-megawatt Weston Unit 4 that is now being constructed and scheduled to come on line in 2008. The Unit 3 work is scheduled to be completed and operational in 2010."
Highlighting the project will be new air emissions control equipment and associated control systems. Public Service is requesting state regulators approve a $110 million flue gas desulfurization system (FGD) or scrubber. The new scrubber will significantly reduce sulfur dioxide emissions and provide co-benefit mercury reductions. If approved, project construction on the scrubber will begin in March of 2008 and be in service in May 2010.
In addition, a $7.5 million boiler modification to control nitrogen oxide emissions has already been submitted and approved by state regulators earlier this year. These boiler modifications, called "Separated Over-Fire Air," or SOFA, will be installed in 2008. The SOFA process involves a modification of the combustion process to reduce the formation of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions.
"We are scheduling the installation of the additional Unit 3 environmental control equipment in conjunction with the end of the Weston 4 construction schedule," added Zagrzebski. "We hope to gain maximum efficiencies as the Weston site is already in the construction mode." The work will be scheduled to minimize the time Unit 3 will be out of service.
Zagrzebski estimates a workforce of 200 construction workers to do all the on-site work to get the Unit 3 projects done. Zagrzebski also emphasized Public Service will be looking to qualify local contractors and suppliers whenever possible to bid on work for the Unit 3 projects.
The Unit 3 emission control projects are designed to meet new, more stringent fossil-fueled emission requirements that were issued in March 2005 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The Weston Power Plant site is located along the Wisconsin River seven miles south of the city of Wausau in Marathon County in central Wisconsin. It is located on 450 acres of land in the towns of Kronenwetter and Rothschild. Weston Unit 3 is part of the Weston Generating Station that features three base-load operating units and one 500 megawatt power plant now under construction. Weston 1 (1954) is 60 megawatts, Weston 2 (1960) is 75 megawatts, and Weston 3 (1981) is 330 megawatts. Weston 4 (under construction and expected to be operational in 2008) will be 500 megawatts. All Weston plants use low-sulfur coal.
Wisconsin Public Service Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of WPS Resources Corporation , is an investor-owned electric and natural gas utility headquartered in Green Bay, Wisconsin. It serves approximately 420,000 electric customers and 309,000 retail natural gas customers in residential, agricultural, industrial, and commercial markets, as well as wholesale customers. The company's service area includes northeastern and central Wisconsin, as well as an adjacent portion of Upper Michigan. Information is available online at http://www.wisconsinpublicservice.com/ .
