Nucla Station
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Nucla Station is a retired power station in Nucla, Montrose, Colorado, United States.
Location
Table 1: Project-level location details
| Plant name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
|---|---|---|
| Nucla Station | Nucla, Montrose, Colorado, United States | 38.238658, -108.508303 (exact) |
The map below shows the exact location of the power station.
Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):
- Unit 4: 38.238658, -108.508303
Project Details
Table 2: Unit-level details
| Unit name | Status | Fuel(s) | Capacity (MW) | Technology | Start year | Retired year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 4 | retired | coal: bituminous | 79.3 | subcritical | 1991 | 2019 |
Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details
| Unit name | Owner | Parent |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 4 | Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association Inc [100%] | Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association Inc [100.0%] |
Plant Retirement
In September 2016 it was reported Nucla Station would be retired by December 31, 2022, along with the New Horizon Mine, which supplies coal to the plant.[1]
On July 17, 2019, it was reported that Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association will close the Nucla plant two years ahead of schedule, in early 2020. The plant will be replaced by renewable sources.[2]
On September 9, 2019, the plant ran out of on-site fuel, and was officially retired shortly after.[3]
Emissions Data
- 2006 CO2 Emissions: 885,588 tons
- 2006 SO2 Emissions:
- 2006 SO2 Emissions per MWh:
- 2006 NOx Emissions:
- 2005 Mercury Emissions:
Death and disease attributable to fine particle pollution from Nucla Station
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.[4] 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.[5]
Table 1: Death and disease attributable to fine particle pollution from Nucla Station
| Type of Impact | Annual Incidence | Valuation |
|---|---|---|
| Deaths | 2 | $11,000,000 |
| Heart attacks | 2 | $250,000 |
| Asthma attacks | 28 | $2,000 |
| Hospital admissions | 1 | $24,000 |
| Chronic bronchitis | 1 | $440,000 |
| Asthma ER visits | 1 | <$1,000 |
Source: "Find Your Risk from Power Plant Pollution," Clean Air Task Force interactive table, accessed February 2011
Citizen groups
- Clean Energy Action
- Environment Colorado
- Rate Payers United of Colorado
- Sierra Club Rocky Mountain Chapter
- Wind Power Solutions
Articles and Resources
References
- ↑ "More than 500 megawatts of coal-based power to be shut down in Colorado," Denver Business Journal, Sep 1, 2016
- ↑ https://www.tristate.coop/tri-state-announces-transformative-responsible-energy-plan
- ↑ "Tri-State officially retires Nucla coal-fired power plant well ahead of planned 2022 closure," Denver Post, Sep. 21, 2019
- ↑ "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
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.
