Danskammer Generating Station
Encyclopedia
Danskammer Generating Station is located on the shore of the Hudson River
in the Town of Newburgh
, New York, United States, 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) upstream of the larger oil-fired Roseton Generating Station. Danskammer units 1 and 2 burn oil (72 and 73.5 MWe
nameplate capacity), whereas units 3 and 4 are coal-fired (147.1 and 239.4 MWe
nameplate capacity). All four of these major units can also run on natural gas. Units 5 and 6 are small internal combustion engines of 2.7 MWe
nameplate capacity each. The station was built by Central Hudson Gas & Electric in the 1930s, and sold to Dynegy
in the 1990s as part of electricity deregulation. It has been the target of a prolonged environmental lawsuit over its cooling system.
for "Dance chamber". On their voyage upriver in 1609 Henry Hudson
's crew supposedly saw Native Americans
dancing around a fire at the site and thought they were looking at "the Devil
's dance chamber". There was once a lighthouse, Danskammer Point Light
, at the site.
In 2001 Central Hudson sold both Roseton and Danskammer to Dynegy
, under new rules deregulating electricity, in order to become just a distributor of power. Dynegy later added a facility that allowed the plant, which had previously received coal only by rail, to receive coal from self-unloading ships.
Shortly afterwards, environmental activists began to raise concerns about the plant's emissions. According to Environmental Protection Agency figures, it was among the top ten releasers of pollutants by weight in New York, releasing 1.4 million pounds (560,000 kg) of hazardous emissions in 2000. Dynegy defended its operation of the plant as entirely within its permits.
The environmental group Riverkeeper
took note of the long-overdue renewal of the plant's discharge permit from the state Department of Environmental Conservation
(DEC). In common with Roseton and Indian Point Energy Center
, its use of once-through cooling, in which river water was pumped in, used to cool the plant, then pumped out warm, dated to the 1950s and was responsible for large fish kill
s in the river. A state judge had voided the permit, but it was reversed on appeal. After DEC rebuffed Riverkeeper's effort to force it to accelerate the process, and ruled that closed-cycle cooling, the environmental group's preferred alternative, was not feasible at Danskammer, Riverkeeper filed suit against DEC and Dynegy alleging violations of state administrative-procedure law in issuing the new permit. They alleged that DEC had accepted Dynegy's argument that it didn't have space to install closed-cycle cooling despite the company owning large tracts of adjacent vacant land, and that it had allowed Dynegy to account for its water withdrawals in an unrealistic fashion. Dynegy says there are cheaper alternatives to the cooling tower
s a closed-cycle system would require.
During the late 2000s, Dynegy filed a suit of its own. It alleged that the plants had been overvalued and thus that it had paid more in taxes to Orange County, the Town of Newburgh and the Marlboro school district than it should have. The exact reasons for the alleged overvaluation remained confidential as a result of a judge's gag order
in the case in order to protect Dynegy's proprietary information regarding the plant. It was later settled, resulting in an increase in local property taxes, particularly in the school district.
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
in the Town of Newburgh
Newburgh (town), New York
Newburgh is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The 2010 census determined the population is 29,801. This is the first time ever that the population of the Town of Newburgh officially exceeded that of the adjacent but totally separate municipality known as the city of Newburgh...
, New York, United States, 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) upstream of the larger oil-fired Roseton Generating Station. Danskammer units 1 and 2 burn oil (72 and 73.5 MWe
MWE
MWE may refer to:*Manufacturer's Weight Empty*McDermott Will & Emery*Midwest Express, an airline*Merowe Airport - IATA code*Multiword expressionMWe may refer to:*Megawatt electrical...
nameplate capacity), whereas units 3 and 4 are coal-fired (147.1 and 239.4 MWe
MWE
MWE may refer to:*Manufacturer's Weight Empty*McDermott Will & Emery*Midwest Express, an airline*Merowe Airport - IATA code*Multiword expressionMWe may refer to:*Megawatt electrical...
nameplate capacity). All four of these major units can also run on natural gas. Units 5 and 6 are small internal combustion engines of 2.7 MWe
MWE
MWE may refer to:*Manufacturer's Weight Empty*McDermott Will & Emery*Midwest Express, an airline*Merowe Airport - IATA code*Multiword expressionMWe may refer to:*Megawatt electrical...
nameplate capacity each. The station was built by Central Hudson Gas & Electric in the 1930s, and sold to Dynegy
Dynegy
Dynegy Inc. , based in Houston, Texas, United States, is a large owner and operator of power plants and a player in the natural gas liquids and coal business...
in the 1990s as part of electricity deregulation. It has been the target of a prolonged environmental lawsuit over its cooling system.
History
The name Danskammer is DutchDutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
for "Dance chamber". On their voyage upriver in 1609 Henry Hudson
Henry Hudson
Henry Hudson was an English sea explorer and navigator in the early 17th century. Hudson made two attempts on behalf of English merchants to find a prospective Northeast Passage to Cathay via a route above the Arctic Circle...
's crew supposedly saw Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
dancing around a fire at the site and thought they were looking at "the Devil
Devil
The Devil is believed in many religions and cultures to be a powerful, supernatural entity that is the personification of evil and the enemy of God and humankind. The nature of the role varies greatly...
's dance chamber". There was once a lighthouse, Danskammer Point Light
Danskammer Point Light
Danskammer Point Light was a lighthouse on Danskammer Point in the Town of Newburgh in New York, along the banks of the Hudson River. It was later demolished and is now the site of the Danskammer Generating Station.-References:...
, at the site.
In 2001 Central Hudson sold both Roseton and Danskammer to Dynegy
Dynegy
Dynegy Inc. , based in Houston, Texas, United States, is a large owner and operator of power plants and a player in the natural gas liquids and coal business...
, under new rules deregulating electricity, in order to become just a distributor of power. Dynegy later added a facility that allowed the plant, which had previously received coal only by rail, to receive coal from self-unloading ships.
Shortly afterwards, environmental activists began to raise concerns about the plant's emissions. According to Environmental Protection Agency figures, it was among the top ten releasers of pollutants by weight in New York, releasing 1.4 million pounds (560,000 kg) of hazardous emissions in 2000. Dynegy defended its operation of the plant as entirely within its permits.
The environmental group Riverkeeper
Riverkeeper
Riverkeeper is an environmental non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of the Hudson River and its tributaries, as well as the watersheds that provide New York City with its drinking water...
took note of the long-overdue renewal of the plant's discharge permit from the state Department of Environmental Conservation
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is responsible for the conservation, improvement, and protection of natural resources within the U.S. state of New York. It was founded in 1970, replacing the previous Conservation Department...
(DEC). In common with Roseton and Indian Point Energy Center
Indian Point Energy Center
Indian Point Energy Center is a three-unit nuclear power plant station located in Buchanan, New York just south of Peekskill. It sits on the east bank of the Hudson River, 38 miles north of New York City...
, its use of once-through cooling, in which river water was pumped in, used to cool the plant, then pumped out warm, dated to the 1950s and was responsible for large fish kill
Fish kill
The term fish kill, known also as fish die-off and as fish mortality, is a localized die-off of fish populations which may also be associated with more generalised mortality of aquatic life...
s in the river. A state judge had voided the permit, but it was reversed on appeal. After DEC rebuffed Riverkeeper's effort to force it to accelerate the process, and ruled that closed-cycle cooling, the environmental group's preferred alternative, was not feasible at Danskammer, Riverkeeper filed suit against DEC and Dynegy alleging violations of state administrative-procedure law in issuing the new permit. They alleged that DEC had accepted Dynegy's argument that it didn't have space to install closed-cycle cooling despite the company owning large tracts of adjacent vacant land, and that it had allowed Dynegy to account for its water withdrawals in an unrealistic fashion. Dynegy says there are cheaper alternatives to the cooling tower
Cooling tower
Cooling towers are heat removal devices used to transfer process waste heat to the atmosphere. Cooling towers may either use the evaporation of water to remove process heat and cool the working fluid to near the wet-bulb air temperature or in the case of closed circuit dry cooling towers rely...
s a closed-cycle system would require.
During the late 2000s, Dynegy filed a suit of its own. It alleged that the plants had been overvalued and thus that it had paid more in taxes to Orange County, the Town of Newburgh and the Marlboro school district than it should have. The exact reasons for the alleged overvaluation remained confidential as a result of a judge's gag order
Gag order
A gag order is an order, sometimes a legal order by a court or government, other times a private order by an employer or other institution, restricting information or comment from being made public.Gag orders are often used against participants involved in a lawsuit or criminal trial...
in the case in order to protect Dynegy's proprietary information regarding the plant. It was later settled, resulting in an increase in local property taxes, particularly in the school district.