A unit of Dominion (NYSE:D) has agreed to invest approximately $500
million to reduce dramatically the amount of cooling water its Brayton
Point Power Station uses from Mt. Hope Bay (Northeastern arm of
Narragansett Bay), thereby minimizing the station's thermal impact
on the bay.
This investment by Dominion New England, combined with previously
announced air emissions equipment being installed at the station, will
bring the company's investments in environmental improvements at
Brayton Point to approximately $1.1 billion since the station was
acquired in 2005.
"As one of the largest electricity generators in New England,
Brayton Point plays a vital role in ensuring reliable electric service
for the region," said Thomas F. Farrell II, chairman, president and
chief executive officer. "Dominion's investments to improve
air and water quality also will help ensure that it is one of the most
environmentally advanced facilities of its kind. We now have established
a clear path for operating these generating units well into the future
and supplying much-needed electricity to New England."
Working in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, the states of Massachusetts and Rhode Island and several
environmental groups, Dominion has agreed to install a closed-loop
system that will reduce the amount of cooling water Brayton Point
requires by more than 90 percent. Dominion also dropped its appeal of
the EPA permit filed in federal court.
Brayton Point now uses about 1 billion gallons of water each day
from Mt. Hope Bay.
Dominion is installing controls at Brayton Point to reduce
emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and mercury. The $600
million being invested in those projects is part of $3.4 billion in a
previously announced, company- wide commitment to improve air quality
and environmental performance at its operations. Dominion also has
invested in an ash recovery system that offsets about 170,000 tons of
carbon dioxide emissions each year and reduces landfill needs.
Dominion will construct two natural draft cooling towers for all
four electricity generating units to comply with the National Pollution
Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. Dominion is committed to
completing the construction in an expeditious fashion to achieve the
necessary reduction outlined in the permit.
Brayton Point is New England's largest fossil-fueled power
station, with two coal-fired units and one oil-fired unit generating a
total net summer capability of 1,568 megawatts. It is located about 30
miles south of Boston and 13 miles east of Providence, R.I. and is
capable of burning coal, natural gas and oil. Brayton Point supplies 16
percent of the electricity used in Massachusetts and 8 percent of New
England's needs.
Dominion is one of the nation's largest producers of energy,
with a portfolio of more than 26,500 megawatts of generation and 7,800
miles of natural gas transmission pipeline. Dominion also owns and
operates the nation's largest underground natural gas storage
system with about 960 billion cubic feet of storage capacity and serves
retail energy customers in 11 states.
For more information, visit http://www.dom.com or call
804/771-6115.
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