DEP Approves First Natural Gas-Fired Power Plant in
Pennsylvania
WILLIAMSPORT, Pa., Oct. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire
The Department of Environmental Protection today issued an
air quality plan approval to Moxie Liberty LLC of Vienna, Va.,
for construction of the first power plant in Pennsylvania to run
on natural gas, including gas from the Marcellus Shale. The
plant, which will generate up to 936 megawatts of electricity,
will be built in Asylum Township, Bradford County, and create
500 construction jobs at its peak.
"Today is a red-letter day for Pennsylvania," DEP Secretary
Mike Krancer said. "With this approval, Moxie now has all that
it needs from DEP to move forward with the construction of this
historic facility, which will use clean, pipeline-quality,
locally produced natural gas as fuel."
The project consists of two power blocks, with each block
including a combustion gas turbine and a steam turbine. Each
combined cycle process will be able to generate up to 468
megawatts of electricity and will also include a heat recovery
steam generator and supplemental duct burners.
Waste heat from the two turbine generators will be converted
to steam in two heat recovery generators and piped to the
turbines. A large air-cooled condenser will convert the steam to
condensed water that will be sent back to the heat recovery
steam generators.
DEP staff's technical review determined that the proposed
levels of air emissions satisfy federal and state best available
control technology and the lowest achievable emission rate
requirements.
As part of the plan approval, Moxie was also required to
perform air quality analyses and submit them to DEP for review.
The agency determined that the proposed emissions from the plant
will not cause or significantly contribute to air pollution in
violation of national ambient air quality standards.
"This power plant will benefit the environment and the
economy by using a cleaner fuel and creating hundreds of jobs,"
Krancer said. "It is a win-win and another landmark moment in
the long history of Pennsylvania's leadership role in producing
and delivering energy for our nation."
Moxie expects that construction of the plant will create 500
jobs at its peak, with an average of 200 workers. About 30
permanent, highly paid technical jobs will be available once
construction is complete. Moxie officials estimate that
construction will take between two-and-a-half and three years.
DEP also issued an industrial stormwater permit for the plant
and gave approval for the use of water as drinking water.
Moxie Patriot LLC, a sister company to Moxie Liberty LLC, has
applied for an air quality plan approval for a similar facility
to be built in Clinton Township, Lycoming County. DEP is
reviewing the application.
For more information, visit www.dep.state.pa.us or call
570-327-3638.
Media contact: Daniel Spadoni, 570-327-3659
SOURCE Department of Environmental Protection North-central
Regional Office
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