by Wallace McMullen, Chapter Conservation Chair
Wind Power
Two new studies of wind power in Missouri have come out recently.
A firm named TrueWind took existing meteorological data, and did a more sophisticated analysis of recorded winds, using factors such as humidity to enhance the mapping that the National Renewable Energy Laboratory did in 1986. Allso, a group of Stanford researchers has worked on extrapolating the existing wind data, which is measured at a height of 30 feet, to the heights at which utility scale wind turbines actually operate. Their results for 200 and 300 feet high (70 and 100 meters) are encouraging. Small areas of possible wind for economic development of utility-scale wind generation appear close to transmission lines in Southwest Missouri that were previously unsuspected.
Readers can see the maps showing results of the TrueWind study on the DNR website
Federal Energy Bill and Wind Power
The federal energy bill which died in Congress just before Thanksgiving contained many subsidies for dirty fossil fuel industries (coal, oil, and gas), for nuclear power, and for tearing up the landscape in search of more petrochemicals. However, it also contained a small subsidy for wind generated electricity, which will now expire at the end of 2003. Some projects developing wind power in the Midwest are expected to slow down as a result of this subsidy expiring.
City Utilities of Springfield Announces a Study
Springfield City Utilities had proposed to build a new coal burning powerplant, 265 Megawatts in generating capacity. They withdrew this proposal from public consideration after environmental groups and the Southwest Manufacturers’ Association vigorously opposed it, and passing a needed bond issues appeared in doubt. The utility has issued a press release about exploring the development of a larger new power plant in partnership with other utilities.
City Utilities has now announced that it has contracted for $200,000 with a consultant to find the best way to increase their supply of electricity. All accounts indicate that they are firmly opposed to purchasing available wind power from Kansas.
Kansas City Power & Light Having Problems at Hawthorn
The boiler at KCP&L’s Hawthorn plant exploded in 1999. The utility has rebuilt it, and the new Unit 5A is back in service, with new emissions control systems. (Readers may be interested to know that the old unit had been one of the largest sources of airborne mercury pollution in the state).
The Sierra Club has learned that the Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system that was installed with the new boiler is not performing as expected. KCP&L has reported to DNR that it is tending to plug up with ash, and they are observing premature deterioration of the catalyst. As a result, the SCR has not been curtailing the emissions of smog-generating nitrogen oxides (NOx) as expected. They have been compensating for the lowered performance by increasing the amount of ammonia reagent that is injected into the SCR system. This has caused problems with plugging up the pulse jet baghouse bags that are to remove fine particulate matter, and has had a negative effect on the probes measuring oxygen and NOx in the exhaust stream – a greenish foreign material is forming on the probes.
KCP&L blames Western Powder River Basin coal, their chosen fuel, for causing the problems, and has suggested that DNR should allow them higher levels of emitting pollution while they work on the problem.
Ameren Announces Community Development Corporation
AmerenUE, the large electric utility serving most of eastern Missouri, announced on November 19, 2003 that it had set up a Community Development Corporation as required by an overcharge settlement agreement with the Public Service Commission.
Quoting from Ameren’s press release: “The joint settlement included a rate moratorium through June 30, 2006, the phase-in of $110 million in electric rate reductions, over $2 billion in critical energy infrastructure commitments from the company, and $26 million in funding… [for] programs that will benefit low-income consumers, enhance energy conservation and support the state’s economic development efforts.” The Community Development Corporation (CDC) will receive $9 million in funding from the utility. Startup funding of $5 million has been held in escrow since September 1, 2002. Additional payments will be made through 2006 to complete the $9 million obligation.
The Board of Directors is an interesting mix of people: Former University of Missouri-St. Louis chancellor Dr. Blanche Touhill is to chair the board. Other members include:
- Harold Crumpton, St. Louis, President of the St. Louis City branch of the NAACP.
- Deborah Dubin, St. Louis, faculty at the University College at Washington University.
- Lisa Greening, St. Louis, co-owner of Left Bank Books.
- Reverend Sammie Jones, St. Louis, Pastor, Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Florissant
- Robert Robuck, Jefferson City, President and Chief Operating Officer of Central Trust Bank.
- Betty Sims, St. Louis, former State Senator from St. Louis.
- Steven Sullivan is Senior Vice President Governmental/Regulatory Policy and General Counsel, at Ameren Corporation.
- David Weis, Moberly, P.K. Weis Agency Inc.
No projects that might benefit from this entity were announced.