Jim Willis
Editor & Publisher, Marcellus Drilling News (MDN)
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Archbald Energy Partners, LLC is one step closer to building a second natural gas plant just off the Casey Highway with DEP issued air quality permit in hand.
The largest (so far) Marcellus Shale-gas fired electric plant in Pennsylvania is currently under construction in Lackawanna County, PA (near Scranton). The Lackawanna Energy Center, being built in Jessup by Invenergy, will produce 1,480 megawatts of electricity. However, there is a second, smaller Marcellus-fired electric plant also in the works.
Last October, MDN brought you the news that Archbald Energy Partners, a collaboration between Canada-based EmberClear Corp. and New Jersey-based DCO Energy, wants to build a plant in Archbald, PA (again, near Scranton) that will produce 485 megawatts of electricity.
The Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced yesterday they have issued an air quality permit for the Archbald project. This is an important step in the process of building the plant. Although more permits will be needed, we’d say the major hurdles have now been crossed.
Below is the DEP announcement, a copy of the full air quality permit issued (68 pages), and responses to comments from members of the community who complained about the project.
Here’s the DEP announcement announcing an air quality permit has now been issued for the Archbald plant:
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has issued an air quality plan approval to Archbald Energy Partners, LLC, to construct and operate a 485-megawatt natural gas-fired power plant in Archbald, Lackawanna County.
The plant will consist of a combustion gas turbine and a steam turbine with duct burners in the heat recovery steam generator, one diesel-fired emergency generator, one diesel-fired fire water pump, an air-cooled condenser and one aqueous ammonia storage tank. The facility will control nitrogen oxides emissions using a Dry Low-NOx combustor and selective catalytic reduction. The facility will also use combustion controls and oxidation catalysts to control carbon monoxide and volatile organic compound emissions, respectively.
Archbald Energy Partners first applied for an air quality plan approval with the department on February 2, 2016. A public hearing on the application was held at Valley View High School on October 26, 2016 to garner public input. The public comment period for the air quality plan approval application ended on November 14, 2016. Twenty-one comments were accepted and a comment/response document is being issued along with the air quality plan approval.
Archbald Energy Partners requires additional permits before construction of the facility can begin.
DEP Air Quality Permit for Archbald Energy Plant:
The DEP responded to a f ew area residents who had expressed concerns, about fossil fuels in general, and the Archbald plant in particular:
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These well positioned plants are vital to our Northeastern power grid. Each plant adds to grid stability, improves delivery and delivery management, and spreads risk in the event of failures within the power system.
Those opposing these plants have no clue as to how important they are and how critically vulnerable parts of our current power grid remains.
Gas generation is 24-7 reliable, remaining constant regardless of most wind or storm conditions.