Difference between revisions of "Wisconsin and coal"
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| − | ===Governor Doyle retires two coal plants | + | ==Explosion at We Energy's Oak Creek power plant== |
| + | On February 4 2009, six people were injured during an explosion and fire at the Oak Creek power plant owned by [[Wisconsin Energy]] (WE). The explosion occurred at a plant silo used to collect dust after coal is dumped into the hopper. All of the people hurt were contractors working in the hopper at the time. The most severely burned patient suffered second- and third-degree burns on his hands, face and back.<ref name="msn">[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29002367/ "6 Hurt in Explosion at Oak Creek We Energies Plant,"] MSNBC, February 4, 2009.</ref> | ||
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| + | The company is currently building two new units of 615 MW in at the plant,<ref>[[Oak Creek Units 1 & 2]]</ref> but said the area where the explosion occurred was not part of the new construction on the facility.<ref name="msn"/> | ||
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| + | ==Governor Doyle retires two coal plants== | ||
In August, 2008, Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle announced that two aging coal plants, the Charter Street Plant and the Capitol Heat and Power Plant, both located in Dane County, will be shut down and replaced with cleaner systems. The decision followed legal action and grassroots protests and lobbying by members of the Sierra Club, students at the University of Wisconsin, and other activists. August 2008<ref>[http://www.sierraclub.org/environmentallaw/coal/plantlist.asp "Stopping the Coal Rush"], Sierra Club, accessed December 2007. (This is a Sierra Club list of new coal plant proposals.)</ref> | In August, 2008, Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle announced that two aging coal plants, the Charter Street Plant and the Capitol Heat and Power Plant, both located in Dane County, will be shut down and replaced with cleaner systems. The decision followed legal action and grassroots protests and lobbying by members of the Sierra Club, students at the University of Wisconsin, and other activists. August 2008<ref>[http://www.sierraclub.org/environmentallaw/coal/plantlist.asp "Stopping the Coal Rush"], Sierra Club, accessed December 2007. (This is a Sierra Club list of new coal plant proposals.)</ref> | ||
Revision as of 02:34, 6 February 2009
{{#badges: CoalSwarm}}
Contents
Introduction
Wisconsin had 70 coal-fired generating stations in 2005, with 7,123 MW of capacity - representing 42.5% of the state's total electric generation capacity.[1]
In 2006, Wisconsin's coal-fired power plants produced 43.7 million tons of CO2, 185,000 tons of sulfur dioxide, and 65,000 tons of nitrogen oxide; coal-fired power plants were responsible for 41.7% of the state's total CO2 emissions.[2] In 2005, Wisconsin emitted 18.9 tons of CO2 per person; the state had the 29th highest per capita level of CO2 emissions.[3]
No coal was mined in Wisconsin in 2006.[4] Thus, the state relies on coal imports from Wyoming, Appalachia, and southern Illinois; the state imported 27 million tons of coal in 2005.[5]
History
Citizen activism
Explosion at We Energy's Oak Creek power plant
On February 4 2009, six people were injured during an explosion and fire at the Oak Creek power plant owned by Wisconsin Energy (WE). The explosion occurred at a plant silo used to collect dust after coal is dumped into the hopper. All of the people hurt were contractors working in the hopper at the time. The most severely burned patient suffered second- and third-degree burns on his hands, face and back.[6]
The company is currently building two new units of 615 MW in at the plant,[7] but said the area where the explosion occurred was not part of the new construction on the facility.[6]
Governor Doyle retires two coal plants
In August, 2008, Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle announced that two aging coal plants, the Charter Street Plant and the Capitol Heat and Power Plant, both located in Dane County, will be shut down and replaced with cleaner systems. The decision followed legal action and grassroots protests and lobbying by members of the Sierra Club, students at the University of Wisconsin, and other activists. August 2008[8]
Legislative issues
Proposed coal plants
Active
- Nelson Dewey Generating Facility, Cassville, WI
- Oak Creek Units 1 & 2, Oak Creek, WI
- Weston Unit 4, Wausau, WI
Cancelled
- E.J. Stoneman Expansion, Cassville, WI
Coal lobbying groups
Coal power companies
- Alliant Energy
- Headquarters in Madison, WI
- Owner of Wisconsin Power & Light
- 21st biggest coal energy producer in U.S.
- Controls 30 coal-fired generating stations with 4055 MW total capacity
- Active proposals: Nelson Dewey Generating Facility, Sutherland Generating Station Unit 4
- We Energies
- Headquarters in Milwaukee, WI
- Owner of Wisconsin Electric Power
- 28th biggest coal energy producer in U.S.
- Controls 19 coal-fired generating stations with 3339 MW total capacity
- Active proposals: Oak Creek Units 1 & 2
- Dairyland Power Cooperative
- Headquarters in La Crosse, WI
- Controls 7 coal-fired generating stations with 914 MW total capacity
- Wisconsin Public Service Corp., owned by Integrys
- Ft. James Operating Co., owned by Koch Industries
- Madison Gas & Electric Co.
Existing coal plants
Wisconsin had 70 coal-fired power plants in 2005, with 7,123 MW of capacity. Here is a list of coal power plants in Wisconsin with capacity over 400 MW:[1][9]
| Plant Name | County | Owner | Year(s) Built | Capacity | 2006 SO2 Emissions | SO2/MW Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pleasant Prairie | Kenosha | Wisconsin Energy | 1980, 1985 | 1233 MW | 28,566 tons | 120 |
| South Oak Creek | Milwaukee | Wisconsin Energy | 1959-67 | 1192 MW | 13,594 tons | 198 |
| Columbia | Columbia | Alliant Energy | 1975, 1978 | 1023 MW | 22,396 tons | 145 |
| Edgewater | Sheboygan | Alliant Energy | 1951, 1969, 1985 | 770 MW | 15,759 tons | 128 |
| Weston | Marathon | Integrys | 1954-60, 1981 | 492 MW | 12,596 tons | 127 |
| Pulliam | Brown | Integrys | 1943-64 | 410 MW | 10,869 tons | 100 |
These six plants represent 71.9% of Wisconsin's coal energy generating capacity.
Major coal mines
There are currently no coal mines in Wisconsin.
Citizen groups
Resources
References
- ↑ Jump up to: 1.0 1.1 Existing Electric Generating Units in the United States, 2005, Energy Information Administration, accessed April 2008.
- ↑ Estimated Emissions for U.S. Electric Power Industry by State, 1990-2006, Energy Information Administration, 2007.
- ↑ Wisconsin Energy Consumption Information, eRedux website, accessed June 2008.
- ↑ Coal Production and Number of Mines by State, County, and Mine Type, Energy Information Administration, accessed June 2008.
- ↑ "Our Insatiable Appetite for Coal", Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Feb. 10, 2007.
- ↑ Jump up to: 6.0 6.1 "6 Hurt in Explosion at Oak Creek We Energies Plant," MSNBC, February 4, 2009.
- ↑ Oak Creek Units 1 & 2
- ↑ "Stopping the Coal Rush", Sierra Club, accessed December 2007. (This is a Sierra Club list of new coal plant proposals.)
- ↑ Environmental Integrity Project, "Dirty Kilowatts: America’s Most Polluting Power Plants", July 2007.
Related SourceWatch articles
- William D. Harvey
- Existing U.S. Coal Plants
- US proposed coal plants (both active and cancelled)
- Coal plants cancelled in 2007
- Coal plants cancelled in 2008
- Profiles of other states (or click on the map)
<us_map redirect="{state} and coal"></us_map>
External links
- Todd Richmond, Wisconsin regulators say no to new power plant, Associated Press, November 11, 2008. "State regulators Tuesday unanimously rejected a plan to build a new coal-fired power plant in southwestern Wisconsin, calling it too expensive. Alliant Energy subsidiary Wisconsin Power & Light wanted to build the plant in Cassville, a town of about 1,100 people on the Mississippi River in Grant County."
