TVA study recommends demolishing coal plantApr 7 - McClatchy-Tribune Content Agency, LLC - Dave Flessner Chattanooga Times Free Press, Tenn.
Fifty-eight years after it began generating power for the Tennessee Valley Authority, the John Sevier Fossil Plant in Rogersville, Tenn., is scheduled to soon be demolished. The 880-megawatt, coal-fired plant, which TVA began operating in 1957, was replaced three years ago by a similar-sized, natural gas plant. TVA switched from coal to gas for power in Upper East Tennessee to help reduce air pollution and comply with the terms of a 2011 settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and environmental groups. The decision to demolish the aging coal plant follows an environmental assessment just released by TVA that evaluated whether the shuttered, 4-unit coal plant should be maintained for possible future use, partially demolished or completely removed. Rogersville Mayor Jim Sells, whose father came to Rogersville in the 1950s to work at the John Sevier plant, said Monday that most local residents would have preferred that TVA keep operating the coal plant, which employed far more workers than does the new combined-cycle gas plant. "Certainly, it's sad to see this plant go," Sells said Monday. "It's TVA's prerogative, but we lost a lot of good jobs when it closed." The John Sevier plant will be only the second TVA coal plant ever removed. TVA demolished the last of its Watts Bar Fossil Plant on the Tennessee River in Rhea County in 2011, according to TVA spokesman Gail Rymer. TVA also is shuttering units at its Widows Creek, Colbert, Allen, Paradise and Johnsonville coal plants, but it has yet to decide to demolish those facilities. The John Sevier coal plant that will be demolished, and the gas plant erected as its replacement in 2012, are both located on 750 acres along the Holston River in Rogersville. Construction of the original John Sevier coal plant began in 1952 and was completed in 1957. When in operation, the original John Sevier plant consumed about 5,700 tons of coal a day. "If TVA isn't going to ever operate the coal plant, I guess it makes sense to demolish it at this point," Sells said. TVA said it will return the site to "brownfield" conditions. In its final 132-page environmental report, TVA said the preferred alternative of removing the plant buildings was the most cost-effective for TVA, considering safety, security, liability and environmental risks at the site. TVA will remove all unneeded structures, roads and parking lots associated with the retired coal plant, including the powerhouse, coal-handling structures and surrounding support buildings. The site will be turned into a grassy field, suitable for commercial or industrial purposes. The demolition is expected to take up to 18 months and will be done by a contractor selected by TVA through a competitive bidding process later this year. Contact Dave Flessner at dflessner@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6340. http://www.energycentral.com/functional/news/news_detail.cfm?did=35745538 |