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{{#badges: CoalSwarm}}==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.<ref name="EIA">[http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epa/epat2p2.html Existing Electric Generating Units in the United States, 2005], Energy Information Administration, accessed April 2008.</ref> In 2006, Wisconsin's coal-fired power plants produced 43.7 million tons of CO<sub>2</sub>, 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 CO<sub>2</sub> emissions.<ref>[http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/state/SEP_MoreEnviron.cfm Estimated Emissions for U.S. Electric Power Industry by State, 1990-2006], Energy Information Administration, 2007.</ref> In 2005, Wisconsin emitted 18.9 tons of CO<sub>2</sub> per person; the state had the 29th highest per capita level of CO<sub>2</sub> emissions.<ref>[http://www.eredux.com/states/state_detail.php?id=1128&state=WISCONSIN Wisconsin Energy Consumption Information], eRedux website, accessed June 2008.</ref> No coal was mined in Wisconsin in 2006.<ref>[http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/coal/page/acr/table2.html Coal Production and Number of Mines by State, County, and Mine Type], Energy Information Administration, accessed June 2008.</ref> Thus, the state relies on coal imports from Wyoming, Appalachia, and southern Illinois; the state imported 27 million tons of coal in 2005.<ref>[http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=564173 "Our Insatiable Appetite for Coal"], Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Feb. 10, 2007.</ref> ==History== ==Citizen activism====DNR issues Air Quality Watch for entire state of Wisconsin==On February 9, 2009, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources issued an Air Quality Watch for Particle Pollution for the entire state. The watch was issued based on a forecast for elevated levels of fine particles in the air. Fine particle pollution, which is comprised of microscopic dust, soot, liquid droplets and smoke particles smaller than 2.5 microns, originate mainly from combustion sources, such as power plants, factories, vehicle exhaust, and wood burning. The Air Quality Index was expected to reach the orange level, which is considered unhealthy for people with heart or lung diseases, older adults, and children. The DNR advised people in these groups reschedule or cut back on strenuous activities during the watch period.<ref>[http://www.fdlreporter.com/article/20090208/FON0101/90208015/1289/FON01 "Air quality watch issued for Wisconsin,"] ''The Reporter,'' February 8, 2009.</ref> ==Governor Doyle announces coal phase-out at UW==In February 2009, Governor Jim Doyle announced that the University of Wisconsin's [[Charter Street Heating Plant]] will phase out coal. Gov. Doyle said that a biomass boiler will be installed by 2012 in an effort to generate 25 percent of the state's energy from renewable resources by the year 2025. The over $200 million investment will eliminate the burning of over 100 tons of coal.<ref>[http://badgerherald.com/news/2009/02/08/doyle_no_coal_at_uw_.php "Doyle: No coal at UW by 2012,"] ''Badger Herald'', February 8, 2009.</ref> ==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> The company is currently building [[Oak Creek Units 1 & 2|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"/> ==Governor Doyle retires two coal plants==In August, 2008, Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle announced that two aging coal plants, the [[Charter Street Heating 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> ==Oak Creek permit settlement uncertain==Environmental groups refused to revise a deal to settle litigation over [[Oak Creek Units 1 & 2]] Moved to address concerns raised by state regulators. The proposed settlement would see the [[Sierra Club]] and [[Clean Wisconsin]] drop their challenge to environmental permits issued for the project, in exchange for a WE commitment to fund environmental projects in Lake Michigan and expand renewable energy projects in the state. Under the agreement, We Energies, Madison Gas & Electric Co., and WPPI Energy would spend $4 million per year for 25 years on projects to improve water quality in Lake Michigan. An additional $5 million would be allocated to create a nonprofit group focused on efforts to reduce global warming emissions. PSC regulators are hesitant to raise customer rates to fund the Lake Michigan projects, which could prompt the environmental groups to revive their lawsuits. If the groups win, the cost of litigation could add more than $1 billion to the cost of the power plant, as opposed to the $100 million cost of the settlement.<ref>[http://www.jsonline.com/business/76092592.html "Oak Creek coal plant settlement uncertain,"] ''Journal Sentinel,'' November 27, 2009.</ref> ==Legislative issues== ==Proposed coal plants=====Active===*[[Oak Creek Units 1 & 2]], Oak Creek, WI*[[Weston Unit 4]], Wausau, WI ===Cancelled===*[[E.J. Stoneman Expansion]], Cassville, WI*[[Nelson Dewey Generating Facility]], Cassville, WI ==Coal lobbying groups== ==Coal power companies==*[[Alliant Energy]]**Headquarters in Madison, WI**Owner of [[Wisconsin Power & Light Company]]**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 Company]]**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]], owned by [[Integrys]]*Ft. James Operating Co., owned by [[Koch Industries]]*[[Madison Gas & Electric]] ==Existing coal plants==Wisconsin had 70 coal-fired power units at 27 locations in 2005, with 7,123 megawatts (MW) of capacity. Click on the locations shown on the Wisconsin map for plant details: {{#display_points:|center=44.5,-89|44.3022, -91.9142~Alma Station~Click '''[[Alma Station|here]]''' for more information.;46.58683, -90.901367~Bay Front Station~Click '''[[Bay Front Station|here]]''' for more information.;44.430025, -89.780535~Biron Mill Power Plant~Click '''[[Biron Mill Power Plant|here]]''' for more information.;43.079155, -89.375273~Blount Street Station~Click '''[[Blount Street Station|here]]''' for more information.;43.078394, -89.377251~Capitol Heat and Power Plant~Click '''[[Capitol Heat and Power Plant|here]]''' for more information.;43.070295, -89.404909~Charter Street Heating Plant~Click '''[[Charter Street Heating Plant|here]]''' for more information.;43.4864, -89.4203~Columbia Energy Center~Click '''[[Columbia Energy Center|here]]''' for more information.;43.715853, -87.710084~Edgewater Generating Station~Click '''[[Edgewater Generating Station|here]]''' for more information.;45.9353, -90.44626~Fraser Paper Power Plant~Click '''[[Fraser Paper Power Plant|here]]''' for more information.;43.5592, -91.2333~Genoa Station~Click '''[[Genoa Station|here]]''' for more information.;44.3022, -91.9142~John Madgett Station~Click '''[[John Madgett Station|here]]''' for more information.;44.282411, -88.254094~Kaukauna Cogeneration Plant~Click '''[[Kaukauna Cogeneration Plant|here]]''' for more information.;44.080959, -87.656081~Manitowoc Power Plant~Click '''[[Manitowoc Power Plant|here]]''' for more information.;44.199988, -88.458279~Menasha Power Plant~Click '''[[Menasha Power Plant|here]]''' for more information.;43.046522, -88.027166~Milwaukee County Power Plant~Click '''[[Milwaukee County Power Plant|here]]''' for more information.;42.7247, -91.0058~Nelson Dewey Generating Station~Click '''[[Nelson Dewey Generating Station|here]]''' for more information.;45.446361, -89.737044~PCA Tomahawk Power Plant~Click '''[[PCA Tomahawk Power Plant|here]]''' for more information.;42.5401, -87.90363~Pleasant Prairie Power Plant~Click '''[[Pleasant Prairie Power Plant|here]]''' for more information.;44.541511, -88.012354~Pulliam Power Plant~Click '''[[Pulliam Power Plant|here]]''' for more information.;42.844283, -87.830348~South Oak Creek Plant~Click '''[[South Oak Creek Plant|here]]''' for more information.;42.7079, -90.9843~Stoneman Generating Station~Click '''[[Stoneman Generating Station|here]]''' for more information.;45.773415, -87.989799~Stora Enso Niagara Mill Power Plant~Click '''[[Stora Enso Niagara Mill Power Plant|here]]''' for more information.;44.490023, -89.574463~Stora Enso Whiting Mill Power Plant~Click '''[[Stora Enso Whiting Mill Power Plant|here]]''' for more information.;43.03138, -87.924247~Valley Power Plant~Click '''[[Valley Power Plant|here]]''' for more information.;43.62715, -88.73404~Waupun Correction Central Heating Plant~Click '''[[Waupun Correction Central Heating Plant|here]]''' for more information.;45.639279, -89.421003~Wausau Rhinelander Power Plant~Click '''[[Wausau Rhinelander Power Plant|here]]''' for more information.;44.8606, -89.6553~Weston Power Plant~Click '''[[Weston Power Plant|here]]''' for more information.;}GEM} Here is a list of coal power plants in Wisconsin with capacity over 400 MW:<ref name="EIA"/><ref>Environmental Integrity Project, [http://www.dirtykilowatts.org/Dirty_Kilowatts2007.pdf "Dirty Kilowatts: America’s Most Polluting Power Plants"], July 2007.</ref>{| class="wikitable"! Plant Name !! County !! Owner !! Year(s) Built !! Capacity !! width="100" | 2006 SO<sub>2</sub> Emissions !! width="50" | SO<sub>2</sub>/MW Rank|-! align="left" | [[Pleasant Prairie Power Plant|Pleasant Prairie]]| align="center" | Kenosha || align="center" | [[Wisconsin Energy]] || align="center" | 1980, 1985 || align="right" | 1233 MW || align="right" | 28,566 tons || align="right" | 120|-! align="left" | [[South Oak Creek Plant|South Oak Creek]]| align="center" | Milwaukee || align="center" | [[Wisconsin Energy]] || align="center" | 1959-67 || align="right" | 1192 MW || align="right" | 13,594 tons || align="right" | 198|-! align="left" | [[Columbia Energy Center|Columbia]]| align="center" | Columbia || align="center" | [[Alliant Energy]] || align="center" | 1975, 1978 || align="right" | 1023 MW || align="right" | 22,396 tons || align="right" | 145|-! align="left" | [[Edgewater Generating Station|Edgewater]]| align="center" | Sheboygan || align="center" | [[Alliant Energy]] || align="center" | 1951, 1969, 1985 || align="right" | 770 MW || align="right" | 15,759 tons || align="right" | 128|-! align="left" | [[Weston Power Plant|Weston]]| align="center" | Marathon || align="center" | [[Integrys]] || align="center" | 1954-60, 1981 || align="right" | 492 MW || align="right" | 12,596 tons || align="right" | 127|-! align="left" | [[Pulliam Power Plant|Pulliam]]| align="center" | Brown || align="center" | [[Integrys]] || align="center" | 1943-64 || align="right" | 410 MW || align="right" | 10,869 tons || align="right" | 100|}These six plants represent 71.9% of Wisconsin's coal energy generating capacity. ==Wisconsin May Shut Down Five Coal Plants== The Sierra Club in 2007 brought the state of Wisconsin over pollution emissions from five of its state-run coal plants used to provide heat and power to some university buildings and one hospital. The plants include those that function at UW-Eau Claire, UW-La Crosse, UW-Oshkosh, UW-River Falls and Mendota Mental Health Institute. The State's Department of Natural Resources sided with the Sierra Club, and now the state of Wisconsin has to decide on whether or not to install pollution-control equipment to greatly reduce emissions, or reduce the use of coal all together. As decision is to be made by spring 2010. ==Major coal mines==There are currently no coal mines in Wisconsin. ==Citizen groups==*[http://www.cleanwisconsin.org/ Clean Wisconsin]*[http://wisconsin.sierraclub.org/ Sierra Club John Muir Chapter]*[http://www.wiscub.org/ Wisconsin Citizens Utility Board] ==Business groups==* [[Wisconsin Climate Change Action Initiative]] ==Resources=====References===<references/> ===Related SourceWatch articles===*[[William D. Harvey]]*[[EPA Coal Plant Settlements]]*[[Existing U.S. Coal Plants]]*[[:category:Proposed coal plants in the United States|US proposed coal plants (both active and cancelled)]]*[[Coal plants cancelled in 2007]] *[[Coal plants cancelled in 2008]] * [[State-by-State Guide to Information on Coal in the United States|Profiles of other states]] (or click on the map)<us_map redirect="{state} and coal"></us_map> ===External links===* Todd Richmond, [http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2008/11/11/ap5679709.html 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." [[Category:U.S. state coal profiles]][[Category:Wisconsin]]
