The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has recognized the Fayette Power Project (FPP) near La Grange as a statewide environmental leader by accepting the plant into its Clean Texas program. FPP is the first coal-fired facility in Texas to be recognized at the gold level, the second highest level in the program.
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The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) on May 12 recognized the Fayette Power Project (FPP) near La Grange for being accepted into its Clean Texas program, which recognizes organizations and facilities for exceeding environmental standards. FPP is the first coal-fired facility in Texas to be recognized at the gold level, the second highest level in the voluntary program. LCRA operates FPP and co-owns units 1 and 2 with Austin Energy. LCRA owns the plant’s third unit.
Pictured left to right: Kathleen Garrett, director of Environmental Care and Protection, Austin Energy; Todd Shaw, manager of Environmental Care and Protection, Austin Energy; Jennifer Thompson, FPP plant manager, LCRA; Buddy Garcia, TCEQ chairman; and Tom Glynn, manager of Generation Services, LCRA. |
TCEQ recognized FPP at its annual Environmental Trade Fair and Conference held May 12 through May 14 in Austin. LCRA operates FPP and co-owns units 1 and 2 with Austin Energy. LCRA owns the plant’s third unit. The units have a combined capacity of 1,641 megawatts.
“Membership in the Clean Texas program at the gold level shows that we have committed to high environmental standards that go beyond what we are expected to do to be compliant with regulatory requirements,” Tom Glynn, manager of LCRA Generation Services.
Acceptance at the Clean Texas program’s gold level acknowledges steps FPP already has taken to reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions, as well as future goals the facility has set including increasing water conservation efforts.
“We have specific, performance-based environmental goals such as reducing the plant’s total SO2 emissions by more than 80 percent by 2011, and increasing water reuse by 46 percent by 2011,” said Beckie Loeve, FPP environmental supervisor. “And we’ve already met our goal to reduce NOx emissions by 70 percent.”
The targets use environmental performance in 2007 as the baseline for comparison. FPP will exceed its goal for SO2 emissions reductions with the addition of scrubbers (flue-gas desulfurization equipment) on units 1 and 2 and by upgrading the existing scrubber technology on the third unit. The new and upgraded pollution-control equipment will be capable of removing up to 97 percent of SO2 emissions from the plant’s three units combined, maintaining the plant’s position among the cleanest coal-burning facilities in the state. The new scrubber equipment on units 1 and 2 is under construction and will be in operation by December 2010, two years before the deadline required by FPP’s flexible air-quality permit approved by TCEQ in 2002. The upgrade on Unit 3 scrubbers will be complete in spring 2011. FPP met its goal to reduce NOx emissions by 70 percent by making improvements to the boilers on each of the plant’s three units, a goal that the facility met six years before it was required.
FPP’s achievement of the second highest rating in the TCEQ Clean Texas program also recognizes the facility for maintaining a high compliance history rating and for involving neighboring communities in environmental service projects such as recycling events and household hazardous waste collections.
“Our employees work hard night and day to keep FPP generating electricity safely, efficiently, and in compliance with all environmental regulations,” said Jennifer Thompson, FPP plant manager. “This designation by TCEQ is a demonstration of FPP’s commitment to our communities that we will continue to put in the extra effort to go beyond what is required of us to be good neighbors and good stewards of the environment.”
“LCRA has a history of operating all of its generation units in an environmentally responsible manner, generally keeping emissions well below those allowed by law,” said Glynn, who oversees operations at all LCRA power plants including FPP, Lost Pines Power Park near Bastrop, and the Thomas C. Ferguson Power Plant near Marble Falls.
The Lost Pines Power Park, which includes the three-unit gas-fired Sim Gideon Power Plant and a combined cycle gas-fired plant, Lost Pines Power Project, participated in an Early Action Compact to help delay ozone-related nonattainment in the five-county region around Austin. The site of the two plants now emits less NOx emissions than allowed under state law or that agreement. Also, the gas-fired Ferguson Power Plant since 1995 has been recognized at various levels within TCEQ’s previous and existing environmental stewardship programs.
