Wisconsin and coal
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Contents
- 1 Introduction
- 2 History
- 3 Citizen activism
- 4 DNR issues Air Quality Watch for entire state of Wisconsin
- 5 Governor Doyle announces coal phase-out at UW
- 6 Explosion at We Energy's Oak Creek power plant
- 7 Governor Doyle retires two coal plants
- 8 Oak Creek permit settlement uncertain
- 9 Legislative issues
- 10 Proposed coal plants
- 11 Coal lobbying groups
- 12 Coal power companies
- 13 Existing coal plants
- 14 Wisconsin May Shut Down Five Coal Plants
- 15 Major coal mines
- 16 Citizen groups
- 17 Business groups
- 18 Resources
Introduction
Wisconsin had 70 coal-fired generating stations in 2005, with 7,123 MW of capacity - representing 42.5% of the state's total electric generation capacity.[1]
In 2006, Wisconsin's coal-fired power plants produced 43.7 million tons of CO2, 185,000 tons of sulfur dioxide, and 65,000 tons of nitrogen oxide; coal-fired power plants were responsible for 41.7% of the state's total CO2 emissions.[2] In 2005, Wisconsin emitted 18.9 tons of CO2 per person; the state had the 29th highest per capita level of CO2 emissions.[3]
No coal was mined in Wisconsin in 2006.[4] Thus, the state relies on coal imports from Wyoming, Appalachia, and southern Illinois; the state imported 27 million tons of coal in 2005.[5]
History
Citizen activism
Public opposition to Valley Power Plant's air pollution
DNR issues Air Quality Watch for entire state of Wisconsin
On February 9, 2009, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources issued an Air Quality Watch for Particle Pollution for the entire state. The watch was issued based on a forecast for elevated levels of fine particles in the air. Fine particle pollution, which is comprised of microscopic dust, soot, liquid droplets and smoke particles smaller than 2.5 microns, originate mainly from combustion sources, such as power plants, factories, vehicle exhaust, and wood burning.
The Air Quality Index was expected to reach the orange level, which is considered unhealthy for people with heart or lung diseases, older adults, and children. The DNR advised people in these groups reschedule or cut back on strenuous activities during the watch period.[6]
Governor Doyle announces coal phase-out at UW
In February 2009, Governor Jim Doyle announced that the University of Wisconsin's Charter Street Heating Plant will phase out coal. Gov. Doyle said that a biomass boiler will be installed by 2012 in an effort to generate 25 percent of the state's energy from renewable resources by the year 2025. The over $200 million investment will eliminate the burning of over 100 tons of coal.[7]
Explosion at We Energy's Oak Creek power plant
On February 4, 2009, six people were injured during an explosion and fire at the Oak Creek power plant owned by Wisconsin Energy (WE). The explosion occurred at a plant silo used to collect dust after coal is dumped into the hopper. All of the people hurt were contractors working in the hopper at the time. The most severely burned patient suffered second- and third-degree burns on his hands, face and back.[8]
The company is currently building two new units of 615 MW in at the plant,[9] but said the area where the explosion occurred was not part of the new construction on the facility.[8]
Governor Doyle retires two coal plants
In August, 2008, Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle announced that two aging coal plants, the Charter Street Heating Plant and the Capitol Heat and Power Plant, both located in Dane County, will be shut down and replaced with cleaner systems. The decision followed legal action and grassroots protests and lobbying by members of the Sierra Club, students at the University of Wisconsin, and other activists. August 2008[10]
Oak Creek permit settlement uncertain
Environmental groups refused to revise a deal to settle litigation over Oak Creek Units 1 & 2 to address concerns raised by state regulators. The proposed settlement would see the Sierra Club and Clean Wisconsin drop their challenge to environmental permits issued for the project, in exchange for a WE commitment to fund environmental projects in Lake Michigan and expand renewable energy projects in the state. Under the agreement, We Energies, Madison Gas & Electric Co., and WPPI Energy would spend $4 million per year for 25 years on projects to improve water quality in Lake Michigan. An additional $5 million would be allocated to create a nonprofit group focused on efforts to reduce global warming emissions. PSC regulators are hesitant to raise customer rates to fund the Lake Michigan projects, which could prompt the environmental groups to revive their lawsuits. If the groups win, the cost of litigation could add more than $1 billion to the cost of the power plant, as opposed to the $100 million cost of the settlement.[11]
Legislative issues
Proposed coal plants
Active
- Oak Creek Units 1 & 2, Oak Creek, WI
- Weston Unit 4, Wausau, WI
Cancelled
- E.J. Stoneman Expansion, Cassville, WI
- Nelson Dewey Generating Facility, Cassville, WI
Coal lobbying groups
Coal power companies
- Alliant Energy
- Headquarters in Madison, WI
- Owner of Wisconsin Power & Light Company
- 21st biggest coal energy producer in U.S.
- Controls 30 coal-fired generating stations with 4055 MW total capacity
- Active proposals: Nelson Dewey Generating Facility, Sutherland Generating Station Unit 4
- We Energies
- Headquarters in Milwaukee, WI
- Owner of Wisconsin Electric Power Company
- 28th biggest coal energy producer in U.S.
- Controls 19 coal-fired generating stations with 3339 MW total capacity
- Active proposals: Oak Creek Units 1 & 2
- Dairyland Power Cooperative
- Headquarters in La Crosse, WI
- Controls 7 coal-fired generating stations with 914 MW total capacity
- Wisconsin Public Service, owned by Integrys
- Ft. James Operating Co., owned by Koch Industries
- Madison Gas & Electric
Existing coal plants
Wisconsin had 70 coal-fired power units at 27 locations in 2005, with 7,123 megawatts (MW) of capacity.
Click on the locations shown on the Wisconsin map for plant details:
Here is a list of coal power plants in Wisconsin with capacity over 400 MW:[1][12]
| Plant Name | County | Owner | Year(s) Built | Capacity | 2006 SO2 Emissions | SO2/MW Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pleasant Prairie | Kenosha | Wisconsin Energy | 1980, 1985 | 1233 MW | 28,566 tons | 120 |
| South Oak Creek | Milwaukee | Wisconsin Energy | 1959-67 | 1192 MW | 13,594 tons | 198 |
| Columbia | Columbia | Alliant Energy | 1975, 1978 | 1023 MW | 22,396 tons | 145 |
| Edgewater | Sheboygan | Alliant Energy | 1951, 1969, 1985 | 770 MW | 15,759 tons | 128 |
| Weston | Marathon | Integrys | 1954-60, 1981 | 492 MW | 12,596 tons | 127 |
| Pulliam | Brown | Integrys | 1943-64 | 410 MW | 10,869 tons | 100 |
These six plants represent 71.9% of Wisconsin's coal energy generating capacity.
Wisconsin May Shut Down Five Coal Plants
In 2007 the Sierra Club challenged the State of Wisconsin over pollution emissions from five of its state-run coal plants used to provide heat and power to four state-run university buildings and one hospital. The plants include those that function at UW-Eau Claire, UW-La Crosse, UW-Oshkosh, UW-River Falls and Mendota Mental Health Institute. The State's Department of Natural Resources sided with the Sierra Club, and now the state of Wisconsin has to decide on whether or not to install pollution-control equipment to greatly reduce emissions, or reduce the use of coal all together. As decision is to be made by spring 2010.[13]
The Sierra Club alleged that the millions of dollars in upgrades made at these facilities were significant and actually increased the potential for the plants to emit more pollution.[14]
Major coal mines
There are currently no coal mines in Wisconsin.
Citizen groups
Business groups
Resources
References
- ↑ Jump up to: 1.0 1.1 Existing Electric Generating Units in the United States, 2005, Energy Information Administration, accessed April 2008.
- ↑ Estimated Emissions for U.S. Electric Power Industry by State, 1990-2006, Energy Information Administration, 2007.
- ↑ Wisconsin Energy Consumption Information, eRedux website, accessed June 2008.
- ↑ Coal Production and Number of Mines by State, County, and Mine Type, Energy Information Administration, accessed June 2008.
- ↑ "Our Insatiable Appetite for Coal", Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Feb. 10, 2007.
- ↑ "Air quality watch issued for Wisconsin," The Reporter, February 8, 2009.
- ↑ "Doyle: No coal at UW by 2012," Badger Herald, February 8, 2009.
- ↑ Jump up to: 8.0 8.1 "6 Hurt in Explosion at Oak Creek We Energies Plant," MSNBC, February 4, 2009.
- ↑ Oak Creek Units 1 & 2
- ↑ "Stopping the Coal Rush", Sierra Club, accessed December 2007. (This is a Sierra Club list of new coal plant proposals.)
- ↑ "Oak Creek coal plant settlement uncertain," Journal Sentinel, November 27, 2009.
- ↑ Environmental Integrity Project, "Dirty Kilowatts: America’s Most Polluting Power Plants", July 2007.
- ↑ "Dpt. of Good Ideas: Wisconsin May Shut Down Five Coal Plants," Treehugger.com, February 22, 2010.
- ↑ "State may shut down five coal-fired power plants," Dee J Hall, Wisconsin State Journal, February 19, 2010.
Related SourceWatch articles
- William D. Harvey
- EPA Coal Plant Settlements
- Existing U.S. Coal Mines
- Existing U.S. Coal Plants
- US proposed coal plants (both active and cancelled)
- Coal plants cancelled in 2007
- Coal plants cancelled in 2008
- Profiles of other states (or click on the map)
<us_map redirect="{state} and coal"></us_map>
External links
- Todd Richmond, Wisconsin regulators say no to new power plant, Associated Press, November 11, 2008. "State regulators Tuesday unanimously rejected a plan to build a new coal-fired power plant in southwestern Wisconsin, calling it too expensive. Alliant Energy subsidiary Wisconsin Power & Light wanted to build the plant in Cassville, a town of about 1,100 people on the Mississippi River in Grant County."
