FORT WORTH, Texas, March 1 TXU will begin construction on a new coal plant in Central Texas as soon as possible, since recently receiving approval.A federal judge approved a settlement between Alcoa, TXU and the U.S. Department of Justice, the Star-Telegram reported. The plant will be at Alcoa's aluminum smelter in Rockdale, about 60 miles northeast of Austin. The new unit, known as Sandow 5, will replace three old coal-fired generators.An estimated 750 jobs will be created through the project and it's expected to bring about $300 million per year to the surrounding area. The plant at Rockdale is one of the three that will still be built after a deal under the proposed buyout would cancel the other eight planned coal plants.Opponents of the Rockdale plant had sued Alcoa. The plaintiff, Environmental Defense, claimed the company released illegal amounts of air pollution from the plant during a 17-year period. The settlement allows Alcoa to avoid applying for a new permit but it must pay the U.S. government $859,000 in penalties from a 2003 settlement. Alcoa and TXU must also cut emission rates for nitrogen oxide by 20 percent from the rate called for in the 2003 settlement.The two companies may also have to limit their sulfur dioxide emissions from the Sandow unit, according to Jim Marston, regional director of plaintiff Environmental Defense. The plaintiff groups have not decided whether or not they will appeal the judge's ruling.Copyright 2007 by UPI
|
|
|
|
|
|
Related News
Baltics reaffirm commitment to new nuclear plant
Vilnius - The prime ministers of three Baltic states said Friday they remained committed to the joint construction of a new nuclear power station for the region in which Poland will also have a share. After talks in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius, th...
India, Sweden hold talks on climate change, energy
New Delhi - Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Swedish counterpart, Fredrik Reinfeldt, Thursday held talks on a wide range of issues in hopes of providing a fresh impetus to bilateral ties in the areas of trade, energy and environment. Sing...
EU's Barroso urges Ukraine to avoid disruptions in gas supplies
Brussels - European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso on Thursday urged Ukraine to do everything in its power to prevent a repeat of last winter's gas crisis, in which a fight with Russia over money cut off supplies to much of Europe. Europea...
Iran favours purchase of nuclear fuel, envoy says - Summary
Vienna - Iran favours purchasing nuclear fuel for its research reactor, Tehran's UN ambassador in Vienna said Monday, indicating the country is reluctant to send uranium abroad for reprocessing. That would go against the concept favoured by the Unite...
Timor Sea oil rig catches fire
Sydney - A Thai oil exploration company said Sunday its leaking Timor Sea oil well had caught fire. The West Atlas drilling platform operated by PTTEP Australasia in the Montara field 690 kilometres west of Darwin has been leaking around 400 barrels ...
Lawmaker says Tehran reactor to be shut down
Tehran - A senior Iranian member of parliament said Saturday that Tehran's research reactor would be shut down in the near future, making the nuclear fuel deal with world powers irrelevant. The Tehran reactor will soon be replaced by the 40-megawatt...
ANALYSIS:Experts gloomy about Iranian uranium deal
Vienna - There is little hope that Iran will agree to an multinational deal to reduce its uranium stockpile, experts said Friday, as the plan has got caught up in Iran's fractious internal politics. While the United States, Russia and France have sai...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
