For the second time this year, Detroit Edison’s Monroe Power Plant has achieved a major reduction in emissions. The second flue gas desulfurization system — or scrubber — began operation today at the coal-fired power plant.
With today’s startup of the second scrubber, sulfur dioxide emissions are reduced by about 97 percent and mercury emissions are reduced by 80 to 90 percent from the plant’s No. 3 generating unit. Similar reductions were achieved in June on Unit 4 when the first FGD began operation. The Monroe Power Plant consists of four individual generating units.
This is the latest milestone in a decade-long program to install state-of-the-art control equipment and dramatically reduce emissions at the Monroe Power Plant.
“The startup of the second scrubber is another major achievement in an emissions control construction program that began 10 years ago and has cost $1.7 billion,” said Ron May, DTE Energy senior vice president, major enterprise projects. “This investment makes a significant improvement to air quality in the region and supports the long-term operation of the Monroe Power Plant, which is a cornerstone of Detroit Edison’s generating fleet.”
In addition to construction of the two scrubbers, selective catalytic reduction systems have been installed on three of the plant’s generating units. The SCRs provide 90 percent nitrogen oxide (NOx) reduction per unit.
On Units 3 and 4, where both SCRs and scrubbers are operating, mercury emissions are reduced by 80 to 90 percent due to the interaction of the two systems. The Monroe Power Plant is the first power plant in Michigan with both SCRs and scrubbers.
The systems will help the Monroe Power Plant meet current and expected reductions in federal and state emissions limits said Skiles Boyd, DTE Energy vice president, environmental management and resources.
“Even though we didn’t know exactly what the emissions limits would be when we began construction 10 years ago, we felt it was in the best interest of our company, our customers and the environment to install state-of-the-art emissions control systems at this
important plant,” he said.
Boyd said engineering work is under way for construction of the third and fourth scrubbers and the fourth SCR for the Monroe plant. Some site work for those systems is expected to begin next year.
Detroit Edison is an investor-owned electric utility serving 2.2 million customers in Southeastern Michigan and a subsidiary of DTE Energy, a Detroit-based diversified energy company involved in the development and management of energy-related businesses
and services nationwide.
Source: WWJ Newsradio 950