Key part of
power plant hearing cut
Nov 29, 2005 - San Antonio Express-News
Author(s): Anton Caputo
Nov. 29--AUSTIN -- CPS Energy and environmental groups fighting over
the utility's proposed $1 billion coal plant will finally get their day
in court next week. But the argument that likely will make or break the
case will be conspicuously absent.
The groups actively fighting CPS Energy's new coal-fired power plant
insist that the utility has not considered environmentally friendly coal
gasification technology. Gasification, contend Public Citizen and SEED
Coalition, cuts down on harmful pollutants and global warming gases.
But a pair of administrative law judges ruled Monday that they would
wait for state regulators to hash out the issue before hearing any
arguments on the technology.
This means that the Dec. 5 hearing on the proposed coal plant for
Calaveras Lake will not include the seminal point of contention. That
will have to wait until after Dec. 14, which is when the Texas
Commission on Environmental Quality is scheduled to decide whether
utilities are required to consider gasification technology for new power
plants.
"We're placing 80 or 85 percent of our efforts on this question,"
said attorney David Frederick, representing Public Citizen.
"If the commission were to rule against the Public Citizen position,
I cannot commit at this stage that Public Citizen would not go forward,
but I think it unlikely."
Gasification also came up earlier this month in a hearing over LS
Power's proposed coal plant near Waco. Depending on what the TCEQ
decides, the technology could become a major sticking point for several
more proposed Texas plants.
Turning coal to gas is not a new technology, but the integrated
gasification combined cycle (IGCC) plants that Public Citizen and SEED
want are relatively new in the U.S.
There are only two in the country, and both were built with the help
of the federal government. However, some large power companies - -
American Electric Power and General Electric are two examples -- have
expressed interest in building commercially viable gasification plants.
CPS engineers contend that they considered building such a plant, but
decided that it was not a cost-effective or proven technology.
"We know that IGCC is not ready for prime time. It ain't here yet,"
said Joe Fulton, CPS Energy's director of generation planning, research
and environmental services. "We're not going to stick the citizens of
San Antonio with the price tag of a serial No. 1 demonstration project."
With the coal gasification issue on the back burner, next week's
hearing will focus on whether CPS Energy is using adequate technology to
control mercury at the plant. CPS has also promised to reduce the
nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide at its current plants enough to make
up for the pollution added by its new plant. Whether the utility will
live up to that pledge may also become a point of contention.
The hearing will take two or three days.
Both sides Monday also asked the judges to make summary judgments in
their favor -- essentially awarding them victory -- but judges Cassandra
Church and Mike Rogan denied both requests.
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