ln August 24, 2015, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama entered the modification to a prior 2006 consent decree that was agreed to by the EPA, the U.S. Department of Justice, and Alabama Power Company. The modified consent decree will result in further reductions of harmful air pollutants, primarily sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxide (NOX), from three of Alabama Power?s coal-fired power plants in Alabama. The modifications resolve the remaining claims in a long-running case that alleged violations of the Clean Air Act's New Source Review program.
The pollution reductions will be achieved through operation of state-of-the-art pollution control devices, the conversion of four units from the use of coal to natural gas, and the retirement of three other units. Specifically, Alabama Power is required to:
Beginning April 1, 2016, operate SCR technology at Plant Gorgas Unit 10 on a year-round basis, and comply with a 30-day rolling average NOX emission rate of 0.100 lb/mmBtu and a 365-day rolling average NOX emission rate of 0.220 lb/mmBtu;
Beginning April 1, 2016, operate FGD technology at Plant Gorgas Unit 8, Unit 9, and Unit 10 on a year-round basis, and comply with a 30-day rolling average removal efficiency of 95% for SO2 emissions;
Beginning 60 days after entry of the consent decree modification, combust only natural gas in Plant Barry Unit 1 and Unit 2, and comply with a 30-day rolling average NOX emission rate of 0.200 lb/mmBtu;