Healy Clean Coal Project

Healy Clean Coal Project
Map
CountryUnited States
LocationHealy, Alaska
Coordinates63°51′17″N 148°57′02″W / 63.85472°N 148.95056°W / 63.85472; -148.95056
StatusShutdown in 2000, sale to GVEA pending
Commission date1998
OwnersAlaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA)
Thermal power station
Primary fuelUsibelli Sub-bituminous coal
Turbine technologyClean coal technology
Power generation
Nameplate capacity50 MW
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Healy Clean Coal Project was a clean coal technology demonstration program consisting of a coal fired electrical power station located in Healy, Alaska in Denali Borough. The project was a demonstration of the TRW Clean Coal Combustion System and the Babcock & Wilcox/Joy Spray Dryer Absorber (SDA) System designed to reduce oxides of nitrogen (NOX) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions while burning a variety of coal types, including waste coal. The plant still operates as Healy Unit 2 but without the emissions-reduction technology.

The project constructed a plant adjacent to Golden Valley Electric Association (GVEA) 25 MW coal plant Healy Unit 1. Construction occurred from 1995 to 1997 at a cost of around $300 million. The facility operated briefly following its construction as part of the demonstration program, but has been shut down since 2000.[1] The research project is considered "complete" by the Department of Energy. The plant was sold in 2012 to the GVEA to resume power production.[2] It restarted in 2015, only to close the next year after an explosion. It resumed commercial operation in November 2018.[3]

Healy Unit 2 will be shut down in 2024 and Unit 1 will receive an emissions control system.[4]

Costs

According to Golden Valley Electric Association (GVEA) the facility cost around $300 million, with the United States Department of Energy contributing $120 million, the Alaska Legislature contributing $25 million, the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) contributing $150 million and both GVEA & Usibelli Coal Mine contributing $10 million in addition to in-kind contributions.[2]

See also

References

  1. ^ Alaska's Wild Resource Web: Healy Coal Plant #2
  2. ^ a b "Golden Valley Electric Association (GVEA) HCCP page". Archived from the original on 2008-09-19. Retrieved 2008-07-20.
  3. ^ POWER (2019-08-01). "Healy 2: The Story of a Coal Unit's Remarkable Resiliency". POWER Magazine. Retrieved 2022-03-28.
  4. ^ "GVEA changes course, OKs Healy 2 shutdown, Healy 1 upgrade". KUAC. 2022-06-28. Retrieved 2022-06-30.


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