High cost of clean air rules not fully justified

Journal Article · Mon Aug 29 04:00:00 EDT 1977 · Energy User News; (United States)

OSTI ID:7088267

Wagner, A J

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Chairman questions whether the benefits of air quality standards can be justified in view of the cost to the consumer. TVA, considering its public responsibility to include affordable power as well as promote a healthy environment, has argued these points before regulators and the courts. TVA's efforts to remove sulfur dioxide from stack gas includes tall stacks to limit the buildup of gases at ground level. Old plants, even those with tall stacks added, are severely impacted by the strict standards which will require heavy investment in aging plants and will mean the consumer must pay higher electric bills with no noticeable change in air quality. TVA estimates the annual cost of installing chemical scrubbers, new processes for washing and blending coal, and developing new coal supplies to meet the sulfur dioxide emission standards at $375 million and 2.8 billion kilowatt hours of electricity (translating into a 17 percent ;increase in costs to the consumer). Also, strict limitations on fly ash, water pollution, thermal pollution, strip mine reclamation, and mine standards will, when added to sulfur dioxide emissions standards, will result in staggering costs, Mr. Wagner feels. (DCK)

• Research Organization: Tennessee Valley Authority, Chattanooga
• OSTI ID: 7088267
• Journal Information: Energy User News; (United States), Journal Name: Energy User News; (United States) Vol. 2:34; ISSN EUSND
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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290300* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
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296001 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Electric Power Generation-- (-1989)
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
AIR QUALITY
CHALCOGENIDES
CHARGES
CLEAN AIR ACT
COMPLIANCE
ECONOMIC IMPACT
ENERGY POLICY
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
EXHAUST GASES
FLUE GAS
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
GASEOUS WASTES
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
LAND RECLAMATION
LAWS
MANAGEMENT
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
POLLUTION CONTROL
POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT
POWER PLANTS
REGULATIONS
SAFETY STANDARDS
STACK DISPOSAL
STANDARDS
THERMAL POLLUTION
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
WATER POLLUTION CONTROL