Allegheny Energy, Inc. announced plans this week to install flue gas desulfurization equipment (scrubbers) at its coal-fired Hatfield's Ferry Power Station located near Masontown, Pa.

The project will reduce the plant's sulfur dioxide emissions by approximately 95 percent, or 145,000 tons per year, and significantly lower mercury emissions at the facility.

The current estimated cost of the project is approximately $550 million, which includes converting all three generating units from forced draft to balanced draft operation to improve plant reliability. The expected completion date is 2009.

"Installing scrubbers at Hatfield is a major step in meeting our commitment to environmental stewardship," said Paul J. Evanson, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Allegheny Energy. "With our financial turnaround largely complete, we are now moving aggressively to improve our environmental performance. We will have scrubbers on all of our supercritical coal-fired units by 2009, giving Allegheny one of the cleanest coal fleets in the nation. Environmental stewardship is one of the company's top priorities."

The Hatfield's Ferry project will create approximately 350 initial construction jobs and result in additional full-time positions to operate and maintain the scrubbers at the 1,710-megawatt facility. The project also will enable the company to continue purchasing local coal, preserving regional mining jobs. Additionally, scrubber installation reflects Allegheny's long-term commitment to the plant as an integral portion of the company's generating capacity.

The Hatfield's Ferry Project is part of a comprehensive plan by Allegheny Energy to reduce total sulfur dioxide emissions from its coal-fired plants by more than 250,000 tons compared to 2002 levels and to significantly reduce mercury emissions as a co-benefit.

A fact sheet on the Hatfield Project is available online.

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7/14/2006