Assessment of environmental impacts of coal preparation for sulfur removal

The SO/sub 2/ control plan being considered by TVA for its power plants is outlined, and the results of the environmental assessment of one of the projects involved in the plan, the coal-washing facility at Paradise steam plant in Kentucky, are summarized. The proposed coal-washing plant at Paradise will reduce the SO/sub 2/ emissions of the available coal supply from around 7 lb SO/sub 2//10/sup 6/ Btu to below the 5.2 lb/10/sup 6/ Btu allowable emission rate. It is anticipated that the plant can be built by June 1981 at a capital cost of around $150 million (1976 dollars) and an annual cost of $32 million. However, it appears that the improved quality of the washed coal will offset current problems at the plant related to reliability, derating, and excess maintenance. These benefits are expected to offset the annual cost by as much as $16 million. Two alternative strategies for control of SO/sub 2/ emissions at Paradise were evaluated: low-sulfur coal and scrubbers. Both have operational and economic disadvantages. Based upon the analyses to date, it has been determined that a coal-washing facility at Paradise is the most cost-effective alternative for constant SO/sub 2/ emission control and that the environmentalmore » impact of this project when constructed as planned will not be significant.« less