Key air emissions hit an all-time low in 2006
FORT COLLINS -- Sulphur dioxide (SO2) and Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions both decreased by 16 percent at Platte River Power Authority's Rawhide Energy Station in 2006. This decrease was the result of the installation of new, fuel-efficient low-pressure blades in the generating turbine in late 2005. SO2 and CO2 are both by-products of the coal-burning process. Utilizing a newer blade design, the turbine is able to generate the same amount of electricity with less fuel.
Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) also decreased 63 percent for the year due to the installation of a new, separated over-fire air combustion system in the boiler. The system allows combustion at lower temperatures, thus reducing the amount of NOx produced. The NOx reduction was greater than that needed to fulfill the Voluntary Emissions Reductions Agreement that Platte River entered into with the State of Colorado in 2002.
"Platte River has focused on protecting the environment since its creation in the early 1970s," said Brian Moeck, Platte River's general manager. "The 2006 Rawhide emissions report shows that state-of-the-art technologies we utilize at our generation sources provide tangible results."
Emissions from Rawhide have, historically, been lower than permitted levels--even before the changes were made.