Whitewater Valley Generating Station
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Whitewater Valley Generating Station is an operating power station of at least 93-megawatts (MW) in Richmond, Wayne, Indiana, United States.
Location
Table 1: Project-level location details
| Plant name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
|---|---|---|
| Whitewater Valley Generating Station | Richmond, Wayne, Indiana, United States | 39.8022, -84.8953 (exact) |
The map below shows the exact location of the power station.
Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):
- Unit 1, Unit 2: 39.8022, -84.8953
Project Details
Table 2: Unit-level details
| Unit name | Status | Fuel(s) | Capacity (MW) | Technology | Start year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | operating | coal: bituminous | 33 | subcritical | 1955 |
| Unit 2 | operating | coal: bituminous | 60.9 | subcritical | 1973 |
Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details
| Unit name | Owner | Parent |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | City of Richmond (Indiana) [100%] | City of Richmond (Indiana) [100.0%] |
| Unit 2 | City of Richmond (Indiana) [100%] | City of Richmond (Indiana) [100.0%] |
Background
In 2011 Richmond Power & Light of Indiana said it plans to switch its 100-MW Whitewater Valley coal station to burn gas produced from solid waste by the spring of 2013. Only one of Whitewater Valley's two units -- the larger unit -- is expected to be retrofitted for gasification; the smaller, older 34-MW unit will be shut down within the same timeframe. The conversion is estimated to cost $150 million to $160 million. The city is signing a contract with Cate Street Capital of Delaware, which is expected to finance and operate the new venture.[1]
As of 2021, the conversion to gas had not occurred. News articles indicate that the plant is expected to be shut down in the near future, as the plant is aging and only operates occasionally when demand is very high.[2]
Retirement plans
In their 2023 Integrated Resource Plan, the Indiana Municipal Power Agency stated that “proposed rulemaking from the EPA regarding Effluent Limitations sees Whitewater Valley Station removed from the portfolio effective December 31st, 2028. However, plans for Whitewater Valley Station’s actual operations could change depending on the EPA’s final rule.”[3]
Sale of the plant
In 2014 Richmond Power and Light sold the Whitewater Valley station to Indiana Municipal Power Agency.[4]
Emissions Data
- CO2 Emissions: 702,167 tons (2005)
- SO2 Emissions: 11,833 tons (2005)
- SO2 Emissions per MWh: 43.36 lb/MWh (2005)
- NOx Emissions: 1,118 tons (2005)
Death and disease attributable to fine particle pollution from Whitewater Valley
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.[5] 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.[6]
Table 1: Death and disease attributable to fine particle pollution from Whitewater Valley Generating Station
| Type of Impact | Annual Incidence | Valuation |
|---|---|---|
| Deaths | 12 | $86,000,000 |
| Heart attacks | 18 | $2,000,000 |
| Asthma attacks | 190 | $10,000 |
| Hospital admissions | 9 | $200,000 |
| Chronic bronchitis | 7 | $3,200,000 |
| Asthma ER visits | 12 | $4,000 |
Source: "Find Your Risk from Power Plant Pollution," Clean Air Task Force interactive table, accessed March 2011
- Mercury Emissions:
Articles and Resources
References
- ↑ "Indiana muni to switch 100-MW coal plant to solid waste gasification," Platts, Aug 2, 2011.
- ↑ "With big expenses looming, RP&L could seek a rate increase next year". Palladium-Item. Retrieved 2021-08-25.
- ↑ “2023 Integrated Resource Plan,” Indiana Municipal Power Agency, February 1, 2024
- ↑ "Whitewater Valley Station" impa.com accessed June 2020
- ↑ "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.
