Wisconsin and coal

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

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.^[6]

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.^[7]

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.^[8]

The company is currently building two new units of 615 MW in at the plant,^[9] but said the area where the explosion occurred was not part of the new construction on the facility.^[8]

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^[10]

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. The following map shows the locations: <googlemap version="0.9" lat="43" lon="-89" type="map" zoom="6"> 44.3022, -91.9142, Alma Station Click here for more information. 46.58683, -90.901367, Bay Front Station Click here for more information. 44.430025, -89.780535, Biron Mill Power Plant Click here for more information. 43.079155, -89.375273, Blount Street Station Click here for more information. 43.078394, -89.377251, Capitol Heat and Power Plant Click here for more information. 43.070295, -89.404909, Charter Street Heating Plant Click here for more information. 43.4864, -89.4203, Columbia Energy Center Click here for more information. 43.715853, -87.710084, Edgewater Generating Station Click here for more information. 45.9353, -90.44626, Fraser Paper Power Plant Click here for more information. 43.5592, -91.2333, Genoa Station Click here for more information. 44.3022, -91.9142, John Madgett Station Click here for more information. 44.282411, -88.254094, Kaukauna Cogeneration Plant Click here for more information. 44.080959, -87.656081, Manitowoc Power Plant Click here for more information. 44.199988, -88.458279, Menasha Power Plant Click here for more information. 43.046522, -88.027166, Milwaukee County Power Plant Click here for more information. 42.7247, -91.0058, Nelson Dewey Generating Station Click here for more information. 45.446361, -89.737044, PCA Tomahawk Power Plant Click here for more information. 42.5401, -87.90363, Pleasant Prairie Power Plant Click here for more information. 44.541511, -88.012354, Pulliam Power Plant Click here for more information. 42.844283, -87.830348, South Oak Creek Plant Click here for more information. 42.7079, -90.9843, Stoneman Generating Station Click here for more information. 45.773415, -87.989799, Stora Enso Niagara Mill Power Plant Click here for more information. 44.490023, -89.574463, Stora Enso Whiting Mill Power Plant Click here for more information. 43.03138, -87.924247, Valley Power Plant Click here for more information. 43.62715, -88.73404, Waupun Correction Central Heating Plant Click here for more information. 45.639279, -89.421003, Wausau Rhinelander Power Plant Click here for more information. 44.8606, -89.6553, Weston Power Plant Click here for more information. </googlemap>

Here is a list of coal power plants in Wisconsin with capacity over 400 MW:^[1]^[11]

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

Business groups

Wisconsin Climate Change Action Initiative

Resources

References

↑ ^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.
↑ "Air quality watch issued for Wisconsin," The Reporter, February 8, 2009.
↑ "Doyle: No coal at UW by 2012," Badger Herald, February 8, 2009.
↑ ^8.0 ^8.1 "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.

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."

[EIA-1] 1.0 ^1.1 Existing Electric Generating Units in the United States, 2005, Energy Information Administration, accessed April 2008.

[2] Estimated Emissions for U.S. Electric Power Industry by State, 1990-2006, Energy Information Administration, 2007.

[3] Wisconsin Energy Consumption Information, eRedux website, accessed June 2008.

[4] Coal Production and Number of Mines by State, County, and Mine Type, Energy Information Administration, accessed June 2008.

[5] "Our Insatiable Appetite for Coal", Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Feb. 10, 2007.

[6] "Air quality watch issued for Wisconsin," The Reporter, February 8, 2009.

[7] "Doyle: No coal at UW by 2012," Badger Herald, February 8, 2009.

[msn-8] 8.0 ^8.1 "6 Hurt in Explosion at Oak Creek We Energies Plant," MSNBC, February 4, 2009.

[9] Oak Creek Units 1 & 2

[10] "Stopping the Coal Rush", Sierra Club, accessed December 2007. (This is a Sierra Club list of new coal plant proposals.)

[11] Environmental Integrity Project, "Dirty Kilowatts: America’s Most Polluting Power Plants", July 2007.

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