Huge New Power Plant near Herman:
What kind of bear is Panda Energy?
Mid-Missouri is getting another big power plant the size of the Calloway Nuclear Power Plant. Panda Energy, based in Dallas Texas, has obtained all the needed permits to construct an electrical generation facility near Herman, MO. Combined cycle gas turbines will power the generators, with an output capacity of 1130 megawatts. This type of plant is designed to be relatively clean, and to employ a small number of people. However, it will be a big industrial installation, will consume a lot of natural gas, and will use a large amount of river water for cooling. It is expected to pump 6 to 11 million gallons of water out of the Missouri River a day, and to discharge 1.4 million gallons of heated water back into the river. The difference, 5 million or more gallons a day, will be vaporized for cooling.
Other expected emissions include a million tons of carbon monoxide a year, and 533 tons of NOx a year. (NOx causes smog and aggravates asthma). The environmental effect on the Missouri River of removing water, inserting heated water, and the effect of the emissions on the air quality in the St. Louis non-attainment area are unknown at present.
The Panda facility is not proposing to serve any specific Missouri utility. It expects to sell all electricity generated on the open market to the highest bidder.
Governor’s Energy Policy Task Force issues its final report: Will the Governor support it?
The Governor’s Energy Policy Task Force has issued its final report. Sierrans who have read it are favorably impressed. It includes thirty-six pages of recommendations pertaining to energy efficiency, renewable energy, conservation, and regulating utilities. It also includes a nice nine page summary profile of Missouri energy use and resource.
Ozark Chapter staff and activists made an effort to influence the deliberations of this task force during the summer, and the recommendations in the report indicate that it was time well spent.
Now the burning question before us is: Will the Governor put some political muscle into implementing the recommendations of the Energy Policy Task Force he created? We will cover developments in forthcoming issues of the Sierran.
Highlights of the report’s recommendations:
- Missouri should adopt a Minimum Renewable Portfolio Standard for electric utilities
- Enact legislation that allows Net Metering and interconnection to the electric grid for home generation equipment
- Financial Incentives to promote Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
- Missouri should approach Electric [industry] Restructuring with caution
- Missouri should include Energy Education in the curriculum of elementary and secondary schools, and encourage it in other educational institutions
- Missouri should fully implement the “Energy Efficiency in State Facilities Program”
- Missouri's requirement to use Alternative Fuels in State vehicles should be enforced and expanded
- State Agencies achieving savings from Energy Efficiency should be rewarded
- Missouri Utilities should assess the security and reliability of their infrastructure as a result of the September 11th terrorist attacks
- The Public Service Commission should consider implementing Time-of-Use electric rates
- Missouri should promote the distribution of energy price information and consider legislation to enhance the Attorney General's power to deal with price gouging
The full report can be read or downloaded from the Governor’s website.
KCP&L Metamorphoses into Great Plains Energy and Proposes a New Coal Plant
Kansas City Power and Light, a regulated utility with sales of electricity in excess of two billion dollars ($2 billion), has re-created itself as an unregulated corporation with a regulated subsidiary. The Public Service Commission, which regulates monopoly electric utilities, has approved this. The new corporation, Great Plains Energy, has applied for a permit to build a large coal-fired power plant north of Kansas City. The new plant at 530 megawatts will be one of the largest coal fired plants in Missouri.
The Weston Bend facility is not proposing to serve Missouri utilities and customers. It expects to sell all electricity generated on the open market to the highest bidder.
It will emit pollution in the Kansas City neighborhood. Burning coal for electricity is the dirtiest form of power generation technology. The new plant will emit air-borne mercury, fine particles, carbon monoxide, and millions of tons of carbon dioxide that causes global warming.