News

WHITE BLUFF HEARING SCHEDULED TONIGHT AT 6

By Wes Clement/OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF
Tuesday, November 17, 2009 11:29 AM CST

A public hearing regarding the future of the White Bluff coal-fired power plant at Redfield will be held at 6 p.m. today at Redfield’s American Legion building.

The meeting will allow people to address representatives of the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality concerning a permit necessary for continued White Bluff operation.

Two years ago, the Environmental Protection Agency created the Clean Air Visibility Rule requiring coal plants built between 1962 and 1977 to be equipped with flue gas desulfurization equipment (scrubbers) by Oct. 15, 2013.

Last week, White Bluff Plant Manager Rick Perryman said the plant must have a permit from ADEQ and the approval of Arkansas Public Service Commission before beginning construction of a scrubber system. Otherwise, White Bluff would have to shut down its coal burning operations.

He said the cost of building a scrubber system at the plant would be about $780 million.

The project would employ about 800 workers, Perryman said. Some work would begin during late 2010 and construction would peak during 2011-2012, he said.

White Bluff employs 147 workers full-time and generates enough electricity to power about 1.5 million average Arkansas homes.

(The hearing begins at 6 p.m. today. The time was incorrect in Saturday’s edition of The Commercial.)

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