George Neal Station South
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George Neal Station South is an operating power station of at least 695-megawatts (MW) in Sioux City, Woodbury, Iowa, United States.
Location
Table 1: Project-level location details
| Plant name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
|---|---|---|
| George Neal Station South | Sioux City, Woodbury, Iowa, United States | 42.299653, -96.362597 (exact) |
The map below shows the exact location of the power station.
Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):
- Unit 4: 42.299653, -96.362597
Project Details
Table 2: Unit-level details
| Unit name | Status | Fuel(s) | Capacity (MW) | Technology | Start year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 4 | Operating | coal: subbituminous | 695.9 | subcritical | 1979 |
Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details
| Unit name | Owner | Parent |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 4 | Interstate Power and Light Co [25%]; unknown [16%]; Corn Belt Power Cooperative [8%]; MidAmerican Energy Co [40%]; NorthWestern Energy Group Inc [8%] | Berkshire Hathaway Inc [40.6%]; Alliant Energy Corp [25.7%]; unknown [16.4%]; NorthWestern Energy Group Inc [8.7%]; Touchstone Energy Cooperative Inc |
Alliant Energy Coal Exit
In 2020, Interstate Power and Light parent company, Alliant Energy set an “aspiration” to reach net-zero carbon by 2050 and eliminate all coal power plants from its fleet by 2040.[1]
Emissions from Berkshire Hathaway’s coal fleet
In January 2025, an analysis by Reuters found that Berkshire Hathaway’s fleet of twelve coal plants emitted more nitrogen oxides (NOx) than any other large corporate coal fleet in the US in 2023. The analysis was based on Environmental Protection Agency emissions data. Berkshire Hathaway has reportedly resisted the installation of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) scrubbers at its coal plants, lobbying regulators and filing lawsuits against adopting the pollution control technology. In a response to Reuters, the company described SCR scrubbers as “an expensive technology for our customers” and said it had reduced NOx emissions by closing old plants, but did not address the issue of health impacts caused by pollution from the units without SCR scrubbers.[2]
Emissions Data
- 2024 Gross Load (MWh): 837,036[3]
- 2024 SO2 Mass (short tons): 1,635[3]
- 2024 CO2 Mass (short tons): 830,159[3]
- 2024 NOx Mass (short tons): 740[3]
- 2023 Mercury emissions (Hg, lb): 2.27[4][5]
Death and disease attributable to fine particle pollution from George Neal South
In 2010, Abt Associates issued a study commissioned by the Clean Air Task Force, a nonprofit research and advocacy organization, quantifying the deaths and other health effects attributable to fine particle pollution from coal-fired power plants.[6] Fine particle pollution consists of a complex mixture of soot, heavy metals, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides. Among these particles, the most dangerous are those less than 2.5 microns in diameter, which are so tiny that they can evade the lung's natural defenses, enter the bloodstream, and be transported to vital organs. Impacts are especially severe among the elderly, children, and those with respiratory disease. The study found that over 13,000 deaths and tens of thousands of cases of chronic bronchitis, acute bronchitis, asthma, congestive heart failure, acute myocardial infarction, dysrhythmia, ischemic heart disease, chronic lung disease, and pneumonia each year are attributable to fine particle pollution from U.S. coal plant emissions. These deaths and illnesses are major examples of coal's external costs, i.e. uncompensated harms inflicted upon the public at large. Low-income and minority populations are disproportionately impacted as well, due to the tendency of companies to avoid locating power plants upwind of affluent communities. To monetize the health impact of fine particle pollution from each coal plant, Abt assigned a value of $7,300,000 to each 2010 mortality, based on a range of government and private studies. Valuations of illnesses ranged from $52 for an asthma episode to $440,000 for a case of chronic bronchitis.[7]
Table 1: Death and disease attributable to fine particle pollution from George Neal South
| Type of Impact | Annual Incidence | Valuation |
|---|---|---|
| Deaths | 11 | $84,000,000 |
| Heart attacks | 18 | $2,000,000 |
| Asthma attacks | 200 | $10,000 |
| Hospital admissions | 9 | $200,000 |
| Chronic bronchitis | 7 | $3,200,000 |
| Asthma ER visits | 12 | $5,000 |
Source: "Find Your Risk from Power Plant Pollution," Clean Air Task Force interactive table, accessed April 2011
Coal Ash Waste and Water Contamination
In August 2010 a study released by the Environmental Integrity Project, the Sierra Club and Earthjustice reported that Iowa, along with 34 states, had significant groundwater contamination from coal ash that was not recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The report, in an attempt to pressure the EPA to regulate coal ash, noted that most states do not monitor drinking water contamination levels near waste disposal sites.[8] The report mentioned Iowa's George Neal Station South and George Neal Station North were two sites that have groundwater contamination due to coal ash waste.[9]
A February 2025 analysis of coal ash dams found widespread groundwater contamination from coal ash waste at five MidAmerican coal plants in Iowa — Walter Scott Jr. power station, Ottumwa Generating Station, Louisa Generating Station, George Neal Station North, and George Neal Station South. The analysis was conducted by the Interdisciplinary Environmental Clinic at Washington University and the Sierra Club. The plants disposed of coal ash in nine dams and six landfills, covering more than 700 acres (283 hectares). Data compiled by MidAmerican revealed high levels of toxic heavy metals and pollutants, including arsenic, radium, and lithium.[10][11]
Articles and Resources
References
- ↑ "Wisconsin Utility Alliant Energy Pledges Net-Zero Carbon by 2050" greentechmedia.com, July 23, 2020
- ↑ “Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway operates the dirtiest set of coal-fired power plants in the US,” Reuters, January 14, 2025
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 EIA (2024). "Clean Air Markets Program Data (CAMD)". Retrieved 2025-02-20.
- ↑ Clean Air and Power Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (February 2024). "Annual data 2022 vs. 2023". Retrieved 2025-03-04.
- ↑ Toxics Release Inventory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (October 2024). "2023 Basic Plus Data". Retrieved 2025-03-04.
- ↑ "The Toll from Coal: An Updated Assessment of Death and Disease from America's Dirtiest Energy Source," Clean Air Task Force, September 2010.
- ↑ "Technical Support Document for the Powerplant Impact Estimator Software Tool," Prepared for the Clean Air Task Force by Abt Associates, July 2010
- ↑ "Study of coal ash sites finds extensive water contamination" Renee Schoff, Miami Herald, August 26, 2010.
- ↑ "Enviro groups: ND, SD coal ash polluting water" Associated Press, August 24, 2010.
- ↑ “Coal Ash Waste from MidAmerican Coal Plants Poses Immediate and Long-term Health Threat to Iowans,” Sierra Club, February 12, 2025
- ↑ Fact sheet on MidAmerican coal ash waste, Interdisciplinary Environmental Clinic, Sierra Club, February 2025
Additional data
To access additional data, including an interactive map of coal-fired power stations, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Coal Plant Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.
