The US Department of Energy (DoE) and the Jacksonville Electric Authority (JEA) have declared that the USA's newest clean coal plant, the Northside generating station, is fully operational. However, as was reported in last month's MPS, some controversy has arisen over what is actually meant by 'fully operational'. Foster Wheeler, which provided the fluidised bed boilers that are at the heart of upgrade, are sueing JEA, alleging among other things that JEA started up the plant before it had been fully commissioned.
The plant had been converted from its original oil and gas firing. The $630 million five-year project involved the installation of two circulating fluidised bed boilers, each generating 300 MWe. JEA had promised to reduce emissions from the plant by at least 10 per cent when it began the project, which also includes a power uprating for the facility, the DoE said.
The federal government contributed $74 million to install one of the two boilers, and JEA converted the other boiler at its own expense.
The system adds crushed limestone to the coal as it enters the boiler, in a process that captures approximately 90 per cent of the sulphur oxides. The fluid motion of the coal as it burns allows for a cooler lean burn that inhibits the formation of nitrogen oxides with producing extra levels of CO2.
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