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TVA Seeking Public Feedback on Shawnee Fossil Plant Emissions

TVA

The Tennessee Valley Authority wants input on the future of two of its coal-burning units at the Shawnee Fossil Plant in McCracken County.

The 2011 Clean Air Act agreement requires TVA to reduce its units’ air pollution emissions by 2017. 

Shawnee Fossil Plant has nine operating coal-fired units.  Of them, units 1 and 4 must reduce sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions.

TVA Spokesman Scott Brooks says the company is currently considering three options to cut plant emissions.

“One of [the options] is to add controls or consider converting them to burn biomass or retiring those two units all together," said Brooks. "We looked at options for biomass and found out that it was just wasn’t going to be environmentally or financially feasible. It didn’t make a lot of business sense." 

Brooks says that if the units were to be shut down, it wouldn’t affect customers’ power rates as the other seven would still be sending power to the grid. 

Brooks says the company has already made significant efforts to reduce emissions across its regions with more to come.  

“Across our system, over $5 billion in the last decade or so to add those emissions controls on a number of our plants and then we’re making decisions on all our other plants that were part of that 2011 agreement," said Brooks. "In some cases were are going to be idling and retiring units at some locations and in others were adding emissions controls were spending a billion dollars at the Gallatin Plant over near Nashville to add emission controls there for example.”

TVA is requesting public comment on the Shawnee Plant through November 10. Submissions can be made online at http://www.tva.com/environment/reports/shawnee_units1+4/index.htm. 

Following the public comment period, TVA will issue a draft Environmental Assessment regarding the units, and further public comment will be taken regarding that document in mid-November.

The company must notify the EPA of its decision by the end of the year.

The Shawnee Fossil Plant was built in 1957 and produces enough electricity to power 540,000 homes. 

Rob Canning is a native of Murray, KY, a 2015 TV Production grad of Murray State. At MSU, he served as team captain of the Murray State Rowing Club. Rob's goal is to become a screenwriter, film director or producer and looks to the likes of Quentin Tarantino and Guy Ritchie for inspiration. He appreciates good music, mainly favoring British rock n' roll, and approves of anything with Jack White's name on it. When not studying, rowing or writing, Rob enjoys spending his free time with a book or guitar.
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