Dominion has reduced emissions of key air pollutants, at the same time increasing our electric generation output by more than 50 percent (nearly 40,000,000 MWhs) from 2000 to 2007.
The results reflected in the sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogren oxides (NOx) are in part a result the commitments made in the Emission Reduction Agreement. The improvements are also reflected in the environmental expenditure chart.
In April 2003, Dominion finalized a landmark agreement with the EPA and five states, committing to a 12-year, $1.2 billion program to significantly reduce air emissions across our coal-fired generating fleet in Virginia and West Virginia.
Under the program, Dominion has installed sulfur dioxide scrubbers and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology for nitrogen oxides on its largest coal-fired units as well as to upgrade the removal efficiency of current scrubbers and particulate matter controls.
Mt. Storm Power StationDominion is well on its well to implement elements of this settlement, including the completed installation and operation of two new wet limestone scrubbers with 95 percent removal efficiency at the Mt. Storm Power Station in West Virginia. These scrubbers collectively remove 100,000 tons of sulfur dioxide emissions per year.
The two new scrubbers, along with the existing Unit 3 scrubber which has been operational since 1995, are positively benefiting the air quality in environmentally sensitive areas such as Shenandoah National Park in Virginia and the Dolly Sods and Otter Creek Wilderness areas in West Virginia. In addition, scrubbers for Units 3, 4 and 5 have been installed and are operational at Chesterfield Power Station.
Dominion has installed SCR systems on eight of its largest coal-fired units, operating these systems to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions during the ozone season. Under the EPA agreement, Dominion began phasing in year-round operation of these controls in 2008.
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