News

Salem power plant to run for 'years to come'

By Tom Dalton
Staff writer
Published: July 25, 2008

SALEM — The owner of Salem Harbor Station said it plans to keep the power plant running "for years to come" and can meet the state's tough new emission regulations without making a major investment in pollution controls.

Dominion, the Virginia energy giant that bought the power plant three years ago, said it plans to spend $10 million to $15 million on equipment to reduce mercury emissions, but insists it can keep under the limits for other dangerous pollutants largely by continuing to do what it already does — buying low-emission coal and oil.

The company ran an advertisement today in The Salem News stating, "We are confident that Salem Harbor Station can and will continue to serve you with reliable electricity for years to come."

The company's upbeat announcement comes after a media blitz by environmental activists, who say the plant is a major polluter and should be closed or phased out. Those critics also have questioned how the Salem plant can stay in compliance without making a major investment in pollution equipment — like the more than $1 billion Dominion has spent at its larger coal-fired plant in Somerset.

Dominion managers say there are major differences between Salem and Brayton Point, which has four times the generating capacity from coal, and that the Salem plant can operate legally by using more expensive low-emission coal and through technological innovations.

Dominion said it has been successfully testing mercury reduction equipment in Salem and is confident it can meet the new limits for mercury that go into effect in 2012.

The plant has limited sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions, which contribute to acid rain and smog, largely by burning low-emission coal from Colombia, executives said. The plant also has used emission "credits," which it was awarded for early compliance with pollution goals, the company said.

"We are in full compliance with all regulations today and will be able to keep in compliance going forward," Gary Courts, the managing director for Dominion New England, said during a meeting yesterday at The Salem News.

Back in operation

Yesterday's announcement comes eight months after three workers were killed in a steam pipe explosion at the plant. The generation unit that failed went back into service yesterday, the company said, bringing Salem Harbor Station back to full operation.

"It's been an awful long haul — some dark days," Courts said.

The company spent millions of dollars cleaning up the area where a boiler tube exploded, investigating the accident and making repairs. Courts declined to say how much money was spent following the accident. The 745-megawatt plant was shut down for five months, partly restarted in late March, and went into full operation this past week. Dominion paid workers during the shutdown and start-up.

"If we were going to walk away from (Salem), we certainly wouldn't have put in all this money and all this time," Courts said.

In May, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited the plant for "serious violations" for allegedly not inspecting the faulty boiler for more than nine years. Dominion strongly denied the allegation and appealed the decision.

The union representing the majority of the plant's 150 employees issued a statement yesterday praising Dominion.

"We are ... pleased, but not surprised that Dominion has committed to continue operating the plant for the indefinite future," said Red Simpson, business manager of Local 326 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

"... We also acknowledge the huge investment that was made by Dominion to modernize and restart the plant, and are pleased with their commitment to invest additional dollars in mercury reduction technology."

Dominion met today in Wilmington with the state Department of Environmental Protection, the Conservation Law Foundation, HealthLink, Mayor Kim Driscoll and others. State Rep. John Keenan, D-Salem, said he could not attend the meeting because the House of Representatives was in session.