APRIL 2007 ISSUE
SUSTAINABILITY
Coal-Fired Power Plants Face Mercury Regulation
Mercury identified as a high-priority pollutant in Alberta
Editor’s Note: The PEGG gleaned information for the following from
a full scientific article by Prasad Valupadas, P.Eng., an engineer with Alberta
Environmental Protection of Alberta Environment.
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The first phase of a new regulation for coal-fired plants in Alberta came into effect April 1. The phase required that utilities submit proposals for implementing their mercury control technology, which must have a minimum capture target of 70 per cent.
Industry, non-government groups, experts and the general public were involved in creating the Mercury Emissions from Coal-Fired Power Plants Regulation. “The approach taken is an excellent example of the Alberta Government’s vision for shared responsibility and allowing stakeholders to resolve environmental issues,” Prasad Valupadas, P.Eng., says in a paper on the regulation.
The first-phase proposals must be approved by Alberta Environment. The utilities were required to consult with stakeholders before submitting their implementation proposals. The capture requirement in Phase 1 is based on pilot scale testing using Alberta coals and results from full-scale testing at a number of U.S. sites Alberta stakeholders, through the province’s Clean Air Strategic Alliance, identified mercury as the pollutant of highest priority for control from coal-fired power plants. Working with the alliance, the province finalized the regulation in March 2006.
The mercury regulation requires industry to implement actions to reduce mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants by at least 50 per cent by 2010. It applies to the seven existing coal-fired plants in Alberta.
New plants will follow the Environmental Impact Assessment and Approval Process of their day for determining their requirements. The regulation focuses on industry actions between by 2005 and 2015. It covers all aspects of mercury monitoring - emission, soil, water, wildlife and more.