"Evaluation of Gas Turbine Air Quality Impacts from a Community Perspective"
"Evaluation of Gas Turbine Air Quality Impacts from a Community Perspective"
The recent deregulation of the utility industry
and
the simultaneous demand for additional electrical generating capacity
has
resulted in the construction of new gas turbine generation stations
throughout
the U.S. This has presented many communities with their first
experience
evaluating new electrical generating facilities. Like other
states,
Wisconsin has seen numerous turbine stations proposed by independent
power
producers as well as by more familiar utility companies. Some
communities
have rejected outright the construction of a new turbine station.
Others have accepted the construction of new generating stations after
extensive consideration of the economic and environmental impacts on
the
community. In the case study presented here, the Village of
Pleasant
Prairie evaluated the air pollution control permit application, draft
permit
and technical support documents provided by the Wisconsin Department of
Natural Resources. Based on this review, the Village provided
comments
and suggestions to assure that the project minimized its air quality
impacts
on the community, utilized Best Available Control Technology to control
its emissions, left room for economic growth in the area, and
incorporated
sufficient monitoring and reporting requirements to keep the Village
updated
on the facility air quality compliance status. The review of the
proposed 1,050 combined cycle gas turbine generating station included a
comparison with recent BACT determinations for similar turbine
stations,
an evaluation of the percentage of air quality increment to be consumed
by the project, and an a modeling evaluation of the project. As a
result of this review, the Village requested that the state agency
incorporate
the following additional requirements: emission offsets for the ozone
nonattainment
area were to be obtained from sources upwind of the project site;
emission
limitations were to be reduced to levels comparable to recently
permitted
turbine generating stations; emission limitations were to be lowered or
stack heights increased to minimize the consumption of the air quality
increment for PM10 and leave room for future industrial growth in the
nearby
industrial park; and, the Village was to receive copies of all
pertinent
testing, monitoring and compliance certification documents.