New fuels for old

A combination of price, availability, and government policies is forcing electric utilities to look to non-oil fuels even though only a small percentage of the conversions will be uncomplicated. Even those plants that originally burned coal will require extensive modifications to meet present pollution regulations and to restore their coal preparation and handling equipment. Hybrid fuels, such as coal-oil and coal-water, offer the flexibility of oil at a lower cost, but many utilities lack the capital to gamble on non-traditional alternatives. The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) programs that can provide the information that utilities need to make fuel decisions include work on coal and oil or water mixtures, municipal solid wastes, peat, and wood residues. The information EPRI gathers will allow utilities to identify the alternative best suited to their existing equipment, financial position, environment, and location. (DCK)