{"id":24921,"date":"2015-09-03T12:21:36","date_gmt":"2015-09-03T17:21:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/?p=24921"},"modified":"2015-09-04T09:31:44","modified_gmt":"2015-09-04T14:31:44","slug":"as-oklahoma-officials-resist-utilities-on-path-to-comply-with-pollution-cuts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/2015\/09\/03\/as-oklahoma-officials-resist-utilities-on-path-to-comply-with-pollution-cuts\/","title":{"rendered":"As Oklahoma Officials Resist, Utilities On Path to Comply With Federal Emission Cuts"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"attachment_24934\"  class=\"wp-caption module image right\" style=\"max-width: 620px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-24934\" alt=\"Northeast Station Manager Mark Barton at the base of the stack for coal-fired power units 3 and 4. \" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2015\/09\/20150901-northeastern-station021_WEB.jpg\" width=\"620\" height=\"413\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2015\/09\/20150901-northeastern-station021_WEB.jpg 620w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2015\/09\/20150901-northeastern-station021_WEB-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2015\/09\/20150901-northeastern-station021_WEB-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2015\/09\/20150901-northeastern-station021_WEB-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-media-credit\">Joe Wertz \/ StateImpact Oklahoma<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Northeast station manager Mark Barton at the base of the stack for coal-fired power units 3 and 4.<\/p>\n<\/div><p><a title=\"StateImpactLink\" href=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/2014\/08\/06\/oklahoma-attorney-general-scott-pruitt-sues-epa-over-federal-clean-power-plan\/\" target=\"_blank\">Oklahoma officials are fighting<\/a> the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over the Obama\u2019s administration\u2019s new <a title=\"EPAlink\" href=\"http:\/\/www2.epa.gov\/cleanpowerplan\/clean-power-plan-existing-power-plants\" target=\"_blank\">Clean Power Plan<\/a>, the federal government\u2019s push to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from power plants. But Oklahoma\u2019s largest electric utilities have a big head start cutting back on coal, and are already on their way to compliance.<\/p><p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?url=https%3A\/\/api.soundcloud.com\/tracks\/222197846&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=false\" height=\"150\" width=\"100%\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><!--more-->\u2018Retired in place\u2019<\/h3><p>At Public Service Company of Oklahoma\u2019s Northeast Station, near Oologah, workers are climbing all over the massive metal frame of a cubed-shaped building called a \u201cbaghouse.\u201d Inside, thousands of bags will capture particulate matter that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere, plant manager Mark Barton says. Basically, it\u2019s a giant, complicated vacuum cleaner.<\/p><p>\u201cAbout half of the sulfur dioxide emissions will come out,\u201d \u00a0he says. \u201cThe mercury will be reduced down. And any remaining particulate will be reduced down. Then it\u2019ll go back to the stack.\u201d<\/p><p>The Northeastern Station is split in two parts. One is a natural-gas fired facility comprised of two units built in 1961 and 1970 and that generate 614 megawatts of electricity. The second section of the plant \u00a0\u2014 which contains Units 3 and 4 \u2014 is made up of two coal-fired units built in 1979 and 1980.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_24935\"  class=\"wp-caption module image right\" style=\"max-width: 620px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-24935\" alt=\"Steam passes in front the stack for PSO Northeast Station's coal-fired units, both of which will be retired by 2026. \" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2015\/09\/20150901-northeastern-station223_WEB.jpg\" width=\"620\" height=\"413\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2015\/09\/20150901-northeastern-station223_WEB.jpg 620w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2015\/09\/20150901-northeastern-station223_WEB-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2015\/09\/20150901-northeastern-station223_WEB-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2015\/09\/20150901-northeastern-station223_WEB-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-media-credit\">Joe Wertz \/ StateImpact Oklahoma<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Steam passes in front the stack for PSO Northeast Station&#39;s coal-fired units, both of which will be retired by 2026.<\/p>\n<\/div><p>Unit No. 3 is buzzing with construction workers who are installing environmental upgrades to make the coal-fired operation run cleaner. Unit No. 4 will be shuttered in early 2016, Barton says.<\/p><p>\u201cWe\u2019re going to shut down as much as we can,\u201d Barton says. \u201cIt\u2019ll be left retired in place.\u201d<\/p><p>All of the environmental upgrades at Unit No. 3, and the retirement of Unit No. 4, were in motion when the finalized Clean Power Plan was announced in August. PSO is making these changes to comply with other environmental regulations put in place years ago: the EPA\u2019s Regional Haze Rule and Mercury and Air Toxics Standards. But moving from coal to gas and installing emissions controls will cut carbon dioxide, too.<\/p><p>\u201cUnit No. 4 will be reducing carbon emissions because it will be shut down,\u201d Barton says. PSO will buy power from another natural gas plant and add more wind capacity to make up for the loss.<\/p><p>At the company\u2019s downtown Tulsa headquarters, PSO president and CEO Stuart Solomon says the utility foresaw federal carbon regulations and planned accordingly.<\/p><p>He says PSO didn\u2019t want to come up with another plan every time a new environmental rule was announced.<\/p><p>\u201cWe wanted to have one comprehensive plan that would deal with all of those things,\u201d he says.<\/p><p>In 10 years, PSO will retire the coal unit it\u2019s making modifications to now. That will leave the state\u2019s second largest utility without any coal-fired power plants in Oklahoma.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_24937\"  class=\"wp-caption module image right\" style=\"max-width: 620px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-24937\" alt=\"Unit 3, a coal-fired generation unit at PSO's Northeast Station, is getting thoroughly revamped to comply with previous environmental rules. \" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2015\/09\/20150901-northeastern-station146_WEB.jpg\" width=\"620\" height=\"413\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2015\/09\/20150901-northeastern-station146_WEB.jpg 620w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2015\/09\/20150901-northeastern-station146_WEB-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2015\/09\/20150901-northeastern-station146_WEB-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2015\/09\/20150901-northeastern-station146_WEB-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-media-credit\">Joe Wertz \/ StateImpact Oklahoma<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Unit 3, a coal-fired generation unit at PSO&#39;s Northeast Station, is getting thoroughly revamped to comply with previous environmental rules.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3>OG&E keeps coal, but cuts CO2<\/h3><p>Like, PSO, Oklahoma Gas and Electric \u2014 the state\u2019s largest utility \u2014 is also <a title=\"PRNewsLink\" href=\"http:\/\/www.prnewswire.com\/news-releases\/legal-options-exhausted-oge-seeks-approval-for-environmental-compliance-plan-270217391.html\" target=\"_blank\">cleaning up its coal operations<\/a>.<\/p><p>To comply with Regional Haze and mercury rules, OG&E plans to convert two coal-fired units at its Muskogee Power Plant to natural gas, and install air scrubbers and sulfur-reduction systems on other coal units, all to comply with previous environmental rules. But, as is the case with PSO, the changes OG&E are planning would also cut down on carbon emissions. OG&E Corporate Environmental Director Usha Turner:<\/p><p>\u201cIn the case of the Clean Power Plan, we do see a significant reduction is carbon dioxide emissions moving from coal to gas,\u201d Turner says. \u201cSo what we\u2019re anticipating is something upwards of 30 percent reduction by the conversion of those two units, in CO2.\u201d<\/p><p>Under the Clean Power Plan, Oklahoma would have to cut carbon emissions by about 30 percent. OG&E says it\u2019s on track to significantly reduce CO2 emissions, and PSO is getting out of coal in Oklahoma entirely. Officials at both utilities say they\u2019re on a path to compliance with the Clean Power Plan by the 2030 deadline. Still, Gov. Mary Fallin is refusing to submit a state-based plan to meet the EPA goals, and Attorney General Scott Pruitt is fighting the Clean Power Plan in court, calling it an overreach of federal authority.<\/p><p>\u201cQuite simply, madam chairwoman, the EPA does not posses the authority under the Clean Air Act to do what it is seeking to accomplish in the so-called Clean Power Plan,\u201d Pruitt said at a Congressional hearing in May. \u201cThe EPA under this administration treats states like a vessel of federal will.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_24936\"  class=\"wp-caption module image right\" style=\"max-width: 620px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-24936\" alt=\"Construction work continues at PSO's Northeast Station, near Oologah, Okla. \" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2015\/09\/20150901-northeastern-station007_WEB.jpg\" width=\"620\" height=\"413\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2015\/09\/20150901-northeastern-station007_WEB.jpg 620w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2015\/09\/20150901-northeastern-station007_WEB-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2015\/09\/20150901-northeastern-station007_WEB-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2015\/09\/20150901-northeastern-station007_WEB-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-media-credit\">Joe Wertz \/ StateImpact Oklahoma<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Construction work continues at PSO&#39;s Northeast Station, near Oologah, Okla.<\/p>\n<\/div><p>So far, Oklahoma\u2019s largest utilities haven\u2019t joined the suit, though OG&E and PSO are concerned about increasing prices for power they have to purchase from other states. And both are asking to raise electricity rates to pay for the costly transition away from coal.<\/p><p>If states, like Oklahoma, don&#8217;t submit their own plan to the EPA, the EPA will implement one\u00a0<i>for<\/i>\u00a0them. PSO and OG&E are mum of whether they&#8217;d prefer to deal with a state-based or federal plan, but in some other states,<a title=\"MliveLink\" href=\"http:\/\/www.mlive.com\/lansing-news\/index.ssf\/2015\/09\/utilities_support_michigan_cur.html\" target=\"_blank\"> like Michigan<\/a>, utilities are making their preference for a state-based plan clear.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Unit No. 3 is buzzing with construction workers who are installing environmental upgrades to make the coal-fired operation run cleaner.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":42,"featured_media":24935,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[491],"tags":[553,623,532,499,53,229,552,647,545],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24921"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/42"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24921"}],"version-history":[{"count":28,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24921\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24953,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24921\/revisions\/24953"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24935"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24921"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24921"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24921"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}