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Reliant Energy's 521-megawatt Seward Power Plant, a facility that utilizes state-of-the-art clean coal technology and waste coal as fuel, has been named 2004 Plant of the Year by Platts' POWER magazine.
The 2004 Plant of the Year Award goes to the best in the industry over the past year regardless of generation technology or size. The article announcing Seward's selection for the award cites both the economic and environmental benefits of the project.
"For turning lemons into lemonade in such an elegant and environmentally beneficial way, the Seward project is POWER magazine's 2004 Plant of the Year."
The Seward plant, located 80 miles east of Pittsburgh near Johnstown, Pennsylvania, is the largest waste coal-fired generating plant in the world and is the only merchant plant of its kind in the U.S. The plant is currently undergoing pre-operational testing, with commercial operation expected this fall. When it is commercial, Seward will be one of the lowest cost generating plants in the PJM (Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland) Interconnection.
"This plant has environmental benefits, creates jobs and provides a reliable, low-cost supply of power for Pennsylvania and the broader PJM market," said Joel Staff, chairman and chief executive officer, Reliant Energy. "We are pleased that POWER magazine has recognized us with this award."
Seward was constructed on the site of an 82-year-old, coal-fired plant that was retired at the end of 2003. The new facility produces two and one- half times as much electricity as the plant it replaces, while significantly reducing emissions.
In addition, Seward uses low-grade refuse from coal mines, which is abundant in Western Pennsylvania, as fuel. Removing this waste coal improves the environment, while removing a significant source of acid discharge from the local watershed. In all, more than 100 million tons of waste coal will be removed from the landscape during the life of the plant. Even the ash produced at Seward is used in a beneficial manner. This alkaline by-product is transported to waste coal sites in the area to help neutralize acids that remain in the soil.
The partnership of Duke/Fluor Daniel and ALSTOM Power provided turnkey engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning services. Robindale Energy Services Inc., a professional fuel-management company, manages material handling at the facility.
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