NRG Agrees to Close 3 Coal Burning Units

DNREC announced earlier this year that it was negotiating with NRG to shut down Unit 3 of the Indian River Power Plant by the end of 2013. NRG had already agreed to shut down Units 1 and 2 and install new controls on Unit 4. Yesterday, Governor Jack Markell and Secretary Collin O'Mara announced that a consent agreement has been reached to close the three coal burning units and invest in clean energy jobs. The News Journal reports that at least one environmental advocate likes the deal:

"It's an excellent thing, from my point of view," said Joanne Cabry of Rehoboth Beach, who was among lawmakers and environmental activists briefed on the agreement Wednesday night. "I'll take the fish kills and the pollution for another year or two if they close it permanently. Every time they can close one of those units down there, that's great."

Projected reductions from closing the three units include:

· 86 percent reduction in water use
· 81 percent reduction of nitrogen oxide emissions
· 49 percent reduction of sulfur dioxide emissions
· 93 percent reduction of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide emissions
· 97 percent reduction in land-fill materials including fly ash
· 93 percent reduction of mercury emissions
· 93 percent reduction of particulate matter emissions

According to the 2008 Toxic Release Inventory, the Indian River and Edge Moor/Hay Road coal burning power plants together accounted for 75 percent of air emissions in 2008. Calpine, which bought the Edge Moor/Hay Road facilities in April, announced that it would stop burning coal there. Together, these decisions mean that overall air emissions in Delaware will be drastically curtailed over the next three years.

The agreement further includes a commitment from NRG to bring wind, solar and electric vehicle jobs and training programs to Delaware.