Laramie River Station
Laramie River Station
Location of the Laramie River Station in Wyoming
CountryUnited States
LocationPlatte County, Wyoming
Coordinates42°6′26″N 104°53′14″W / 42.10722°N 104.88722°W / 42.10722; -104.88722
StatusOperational
Commission date1980,
last unit: 1982
Owner(s)Basin Electric Power Cooperative
Thermal power station
Primary fuelSub-bituminous[1]
Power generation
Nameplate capacity1,710 MW[2]
Capacity factor71.36% (2018)

Laramie River Station is a major coal-fired power plant, located in Platte County. It is operated by Basin Electric Power Cooperative and owned jointly by several of its member cooperatives. It is the second largest coal-fired power plant in Wyoming by capacity.[3] The station currently employs 300 workers.[4] Electricity produced at the station is distributed to across Wyoming, Nebraska and Colorado. Three similar units (each 570 MWe nameplate capacity) were launched in the early 1980s.[5]

Emissions

Due to its size, Laramie River Station is one of the highest emitting power stations in the United States. In 2011 the station was ranked 28th in the nation for Carbon dioxide emissions producing 12.2 million metric tons.[6] A 2011 joint report by the Environmental Integrity Project, Earthjustice, and the Sierra Club found Laramie River Station to be the fourth highest emitter of toxic heavy metals including chromium, arsenic, lead, and mercury.[7]

To continue operations at Laramie River Station, in 2017 Basin Electric Power Cooperative reached an agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions from the plant by using SCR and SNCR equipment.[8][9] Emissions control equipment became operational in 2019.[10]

Incidents

In September 2009, 17 welders were unknowingly exposed to radioactive element Caesium-137.[11]

On May 19, 2013, an explosion injured 3 workers following an outbreak of fires at the plant on the previous week.[12]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Electricity Data Browser". Retrieved 2020-03-03.
  2. ↑ "Laramie River Station". Basin Electric Power Cooperative. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  3. ↑ Wyoming State Geological Survey (1 February 2012). Wyoming's Electrical Generation (PDF) (Report). Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  4. ↑ "Dozens take buyouts at Wheatland power plant". Gillette News Record. 2018-10-15. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  5. ↑ "Laramie River Station". Energy Justice Network. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  6. ↑ Environment America Research & Policy Center (1 November 2013). America's Dirtiest Power Plants (PDF) (Report). Retrieved 3 March 2020. {{cite report}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  7. ↑ "Second fire at Laramie River Station injures three workers". PR Newswire. 7 December 2011. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  8. ↑ United States Environmental Protection Agency (19 May 2019). Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Wyoming; Revisions to Regional Haze State Implementation Plan; Revisions to Regional Haze Federal Implementation Plan (Report). Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  9. ↑ Rogers, Alan (10 January 2017). "Basin Electric: settlement will keep Wheatland plant open". Billings Gazette. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  10. ↑ "SNCR reducing emissions at Laramie River Station". 22 January 2019. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  11. ↑ Wald, Matthew (30 August 2010). "And You Thought Radiation Was a Problem for Nuclear Plants?". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  12. ↑ Voge, Adam (21 March 2013). "Second fire at Laramie River Station injures three workers". Star Tribune. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
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