RDC Action Alert:
Support Permit for Healy Clean Coal Plant

Read RDC's comment letter

Comment deadline was December 4, 2009

Overview:

The Healy Clean Coal Project is a 50-mega-watt coal-fired power plant in Healy that has been mothballed in a commercial dispute since 1999. The plant features new technology and emission controls, which were tested during the one year the plant operated. Golden Valley Electric Association (GVEA) has agreed to pay the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) $50 million for the plant and buy the power that would be generated. GVEA currently operates a 25-megawatt coal plant adjacent to the clean coal plant.

The State of Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) is currently completing the renewal of an air quality permit for both plants. ADEC is taking public comments on the renewed permits until Friday, December 4, after which the agency will summarize any comments made and recommend to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that the permit be reissued. The permit for the two plants has been renewed once already since it was first issued.

Action Requested: 

Support the Draft Renewal Title V Operating Permit AQ0173TVPO2 for Golden Valley Electric Association.

Send written comments to:

Ms. Debra Dalcher
ADEC Air Quality
619 E. Ship Creek Avenue, Suite 249
Anchorage, AK 99501

Fax: 907-269-7508

Email: debra.dalcher@alaska.gov

Points to consider for your comments:

• Support renewal of the Title V air quality operating permit for the Healy Clean Coal Plant (HCCP). The permit for this plant as well as a smaller adjacent coal plant has been renewed once already since it was first issued.
• Support ADEC’s determination that a Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) review does not apply to the restart of the HCCP. Specifically support the ADEC conclusion that the long-delayed commencement of the normal operation of the PSD-permitted HCCP does not constitute a major modification triggering another PSD review.
• The plant has extremely low emissions and the permit includes terms that allows even lower permit limits based on actual operations.
• GVEA has a long history of complying with air quality permit terms.
• The infrastructure is already in place to generate and transport electricity from this plant.
• Getting access to more power generation is important to GVEA because of the increasing shortages of natural gas in Southcentral Alaska, which has caused Chugach Electric to reduce much of the surplus gas-fired power that it previously sold to Golden Valley at attractive rates.
• Likewise, energy from the HCCP would benefit Southcentral Alaska utilities in possible power shortages or emergencies as energy from Healy could be sent to the southern railbelt communities.

Comment deadline was December 4, 2009

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