Feb 18 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Elizabeth Souder The Dallas Morning News

Energy Future Holdings picked up an important endorsement as the company announced how, exactly, it will follow through on its promise to cut total emissions from coal-fired power plants by 20 percent.

Texas Business for Clean Air, the group that formed two years ago to oppose the company's plans to build 11 new coal-fired power plants, gave its stamp of approval to the emissions cuts.

After TBCA, a group of powerful Texas business leaders, joined other groups in opposing the building plans, Energy Future Holdings agreed to build only three new coal plants.

"By making such a substantial investment under an aggressive timetable, Luminant is showing that voluntary measures can help North Texas meet federal clean air requirements and is setting an example for other businesses to follow," said TBCA executive director Margaret Keliher, in a statement issued by Energy Future Holdings.

The company has also put together the Sustainable Energy Advisory Board it promised. The board includes people in the environmental community. Jim Marston of Environmental Defense said he will sit on the board, along with a representative of Natural Resources Defense Council.

The company, formerly called TXU Corp., will spend $1 billion on various technology to cut mercury, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions by 20 percent from current levels, even as the company builds more plants.

The plan doesn't include specific plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Energy Future will burn more lower-sulfur coal in its nine existing coal plant units and three units under construction.

The company will also install coal-cleaning equipment, as well as selective catalytic reduction systems and sorbent injection system technology.