Warrior Run Generating Station
Encyclopedia
Warrior Run Generating Station, owned by the AES Corporation
, is a 205 megawatt cogeneration
plant located south of Cumberland
, Maryland
, at 11600 Mexico Farms Road. In addition to electric power, the plant also produces food-grade carbon dioxide
.
The plant uses fluidized bed combustion
(FBC) technology, in which bituminous coal
and finely ground limestone
are injected, using air, into the boiler. Air keeps the limestone and coal suspended in a fluid-like condition. The limestone reacts with sulfur dioxide
, released during combustion of the coal, removing this pollutant from the plant's emissions. With the enhanced sulfur dioxide removal due to the FBC technology, Warrior Run can burn approximately 400,000 tons of coal from Maryland each year, which tends to be of a higher sulfur content. During 2007, 100% of the coal burned at Warrior Run was mined in Maryland.
The FBC boiler operates at a lower temperature compared to other coal-fired boiler technology, reducing production of nitrogen oxides. Injection of ammonia and a selective non-catalytic reduction system are also used to remove nitrogen oxides. A baghouse
removes particulates from the plant's air emissions.
Water used by the plant is supplied by the City of Cumberland water system. Fly
and bottom ash
from Warrior Run, which is highly alkaline
due to the limestone used by the FBC boiler, is used as fill at four nearby surface coal mines. The plant produces about 370,000 tons of ash each year.
of 1978, the local utility, Allegheny Power
, is required to purchase the electric output of Warrior Run at its 'avoided cost' rate for thirty years. However, this 'avoided cost' rate is higher than the wholesale price of electricity, so Allegheny Power recovers the difference in this price through a surcharge on the bills of the customers of its Maryland subsidiary, the Potomac Edison Company. This surcharge will end in April 2030. In 2007 the Maryland Public Service Commission
approved a plan permitting the Warrior Run electric output to be sold into the PJM
day-ahead wholesale market and the capacity bid into the PJM forward capacity market, with the proceeds used to reduce the surcharge.
AES Corporation
AES Corporation is a Fortune 500 company that generates and distributes electrical power. The company was founded on January 28, 1981, as Applied Energy Services by Roger Sant from the US Federal Energy Administration and Dennis Bakke from the Office of Management and Budget. AES Corporation is...
, is a 205 megawatt cogeneration
Cogeneration
Cogeneration is the use of a heat engine or a power station to simultaneously generate both electricity and useful heat....
plant located south of Cumberland
Cumberland, Maryland
Cumberland is a city in the far western, Appalachian portion of Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Allegany County, and the primary city of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2010 census, the city had a population of 20,859, and the metropolitan area had a...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, at 11600 Mexico Farms Road. In addition to electric power, the plant also produces food-grade carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom...
.
The plant uses fluidized bed combustion
Fluidized bed combustion
Fluidized bed combustion is a combustion technology used in power plants. Fluidized beds suspend solid fuels on upward-blowing jets of air during the combustion process. The result is a turbulent mixing of gas and solids. The tumbling action, much like a bubbling fluid, provides more effective...
(FBC) technology, in which bituminous coal
Bituminous coal
Bituminous coal or black coal is a relatively soft coal containing a tarlike substance called bitumen. It is of higher quality than lignite coal but of poorer quality than Anthracite...
and finely ground limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
are injected, using air, into the boiler. Air keeps the limestone and coal suspended in a fluid-like condition. The limestone reacts with sulfur dioxide
Sulfur dioxide
Sulfur dioxide is the chemical compound with the formula . It is released by volcanoes and in various industrial processes. Since coal and petroleum often contain sulfur compounds, their combustion generates sulfur dioxide unless the sulfur compounds are removed before burning the fuel...
, released during combustion of the coal, removing this pollutant from the plant's emissions. With the enhanced sulfur dioxide removal due to the FBC technology, Warrior Run can burn approximately 400,000 tons of coal from Maryland each year, which tends to be of a higher sulfur content. During 2007, 100% of the coal burned at Warrior Run was mined in Maryland.
The FBC boiler operates at a lower temperature compared to other coal-fired boiler technology, reducing production of nitrogen oxides. Injection of ammonia and a selective non-catalytic reduction system are also used to remove nitrogen oxides. A baghouse
Dust collector
A dust collector is a system used to enhance the quality of air released from industrial and commercial processes by collecting dust and other impurities from air or gas. Designed to handle heavy dust loads, a dust collector system consists of a blower, dust filter, a filter-cleaning system, and a...
removes particulates from the plant's air emissions.
Water used by the plant is supplied by the City of Cumberland water system. Fly
Fly ash
Fly ash is one of the residues generated in combustion, and comprises the fine particles that rise with the flue gases. Ash which does not rise is termed bottom ash. In an industrial context, fly ash usually refers to ash produced during combustion of coal...
and bottom ash
Bottom ash
Bottom ash refers to part of the non-combustible residues of combustion. In an industrial context, it usually refers to coal combustion and comprises traces of combustibles embedded in forming clinkers and sticking to hot side walls of a coal-burning furnace during its operation. The portion of...
from Warrior Run, which is highly alkaline
Alkali
In chemistry, an alkali is a basic, ionic salt of an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal element. Some authors also define an alkali as a base that dissolves in water. A solution of a soluble base has a pH greater than 7. The adjective alkaline is commonly used in English as a synonym for base,...
due to the limestone used by the FBC boiler, is used as fill at four nearby surface coal mines. The plant produces about 370,000 tons of ash each year.
Warrior Run surcharge
Warrior Run became operational on February 10, 2000. As provided by the Public Utility Regulatory Policies ActPublic Utility Regulatory Policies Act
The Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act is a law, passed in 1978 by the United States Congress as part of the National Energy Act. It is meant to promote greater use of domestic renewable energy...
of 1978, the local utility, Allegheny Power
Allegheny Energy
Allegheny Energy is an electric utility headquartered in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. It owns and operates electric generation facilities and delivers electric services to customers in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, and Virginia...
, is required to purchase the electric output of Warrior Run at its 'avoided cost' rate for thirty years. However, this 'avoided cost' rate is higher than the wholesale price of electricity, so Allegheny Power recovers the difference in this price through a surcharge on the bills of the customers of its Maryland subsidiary, the Potomac Edison Company. This surcharge will end in April 2030. In 2007 the Maryland Public Service Commission
Maryland Public Service Commission
The Maryland Public Service Commission is an independent administrative agency within the state government which regulates public utilities and certain taxi cab and other passenger services in Maryland...
approved a plan permitting the Warrior Run electric output to be sold into the PJM
PJM Interconnection
PJM Interconnection LLC is a Regional Transmission Organization which is part of the Eastern Interconnection grid operating an electric transmission system serving all or parts of Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee,...
day-ahead wholesale market and the capacity bid into the PJM forward capacity market, with the proceeds used to reduce the surcharge.
