Coffeen Power Station Explained

Coffeen Power Station
Country:United States
Location:Coffeen, Illinois
Coordinates:39.0592°N -89.4031°W
Owner:Vistra Energy
Status:Decommissioned
Th Fuel Primary:Coal
Ps Cooling Source:Coffeen Lake
Ps Units Operational:2
Ps Electrical Capacity:915
Commissioned:Unit 1: 1965
Unit 2: 1972
Decommissioned:Units 1–2: November 2019

Coffeen Power Station was a 915 megawatt (MW) coal power plant located south of Coffeen, Illinois, near Coffeen Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area in Montgomery County, Illinois. The plant was owned by Vistra Energy. Coffeen began operations in 1965 and was shut down on November 1, 2019.[1]

History

The plant had two units: Unit 1 began operation in 1965 and Unit 2 began operation in 1972.[2] Initially, coal was delivered via conveyor belt from a nearby coal mine.[3] Formerly, the plant had low-sulfur coal delivered from the Powder River Basin.[4] The plant was cooled by Coffeen Lake which was built to support the power plant in mind.[5] Formerly ran by Central Illinois Public Service Company and later Ameren, Ameren sold the plant to current owner Dynegy in 2013.[6] In 2018, Vistra Energy would assume control of Coffeen following its merger with Dynegy.[7] In August 2019, Vistra Energy announced they were shutting down Coffeen by the end of the year in order to meet new revisions under the Multi-Pollutant Standard Rule set by the Illinois Pollution Control Board.[8]

Environmental mitigation

Coffeen replaced its treatment system in 2009 that reduced chemical discharge into the lake by 35%.[9] The plant went through several mid-life updates with the installation of sulfur dioxide scrubbers in 2010 and the replacement of cyclones in 2011. Hitachi's division of Hitachi Power Systems were contracted to manufacture the scrubbers.[10] The scrubber installations were to comply with the State of Illinois' Multi-Pollutant Standards (MPS) set in 2006.[11]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Employees Last Day Was Nov. 4 At Coffeen . November 12, 2019. February 1, 2020 . The Journal-News.
  2. Top Plant: Coffeen Energy Center, Montgomery County, Illinois. Neville. Angela. Power Magazine. October 1, 2011. October 19, 2017.
  3. News: Coffeen Power Plant Celebrates 50 Years. Plunkett. Mike. The Journal-News. November 5, 2015. October 19, 2017.
  4. News: Peabody Energy Honors Cleanest Coal-Fueled Power Plants in the United States. Power Engineering. December 14, 2016. October 19, 2017.
  5. Web site: About Coffeen Lake. Illinois Department of Natural Resources. October 19, 2017.
  6. News: Power plant giveaway wins pollution pass. Yeagle. Patrick. Illinois Times. December 12, 2013. October 19, 2017.
  7. Web site: Vistra Energy Completes Merger with Dynegy. Koenig. Allan. Vistra Energy Corp.. April 9, 2018. August 24, 2019.
  8. News: Four Illinois Coal-Burning Power Plants Closing. Shelley. Tim. St. Louis Public Radio. August 22, 2019. August 24, 2019.
  9. Web site: Coffeen Power Station Modernizes Water Treatment System Eliminating Regeneration Chemicals and Reducing Operating Cost. evoqua. August 24, 2019.
  10. News: Hitachi Power Systems America Awarded Retrofit Contract By Ameren Corporation. Hitachi. August 22, 2006. October 20, 2017.
  11. Web site: [ftp://www.ilga.gov/jcar/admincode/035/035002250B02330R.html Title 35: Environmental Protection Subtitle B: Air Pollution Chapter I: Pollution Control Board Subchapter c: Emission Standards and Limitations for Stationary Sources Part 225 Control of Emissions from Large Combustion Sources Section 225.233 Multi-Pollutant Standards (MPS)]. Illinois General Assembly. 2006. October 20, 2017.