May 2, 2007 By Steve Ferris 3 min read

Allegheny Energy received preliminary state approval to expand the landfill at its Hatfield’s Ferry Power Station in Greene County to accept an increase in the amount of solid waste that will be produced when its desulfurization scrubbers are operational in 2009. The 445,000 tons of byproduct currently produced each year will more than double to 1.78 millions tons after the scrubbers are online, according to Allegheny Energy spokesman David Neurohr and the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

A great deal of the additional byproduct will be limestone. The scrubbers use a limestone and water mix to remove sulfur dioxide emissions from the plant’s exhaust.

“Once the scrubbers are on, the volume of byproduct goes up,” Neurohr said. “We use limestone to remove sulfur.”

At the plant’s current production level, the landfill would be filled with by-product in two years, according to the DEP.

The landfill, which is across Route 21 from the plant in Monongahela Township, is 187 acres, Neurohr said. The proposed expansion is 180 acres. Of that area, 110 acres would be the disposal area and the remaining 70 acres would serve as a buffer zone.

“The proposed disposal area will be constructed with a liner system and will provide an additional 14.7 million cubic yards of disposal capacity, allowing for continued operation of the site for at least seven years beyond the current permit expiration date of March 31, 2008,” said Ken Bowman, DEP Southwest Regional director.

The DEP said it has notified municipalities in the area around the plant about the expansion permit request, but has received no comments from officials. An environmental assessment, commonly referred to as a harms-benefit analysis, showed the environmental benefits of the landfill outweigh the potential harm it might cause, according to the DEP.

The assessment is the initial step before the DEP begins full technical review of the permit application.

Public comments can be made during the review. Information about the permit application is available on the Web site www.depweb.state.pa.us

The DEP will hold a public meeting about the application after Allegheny Power submits its completed application.

Neurohr said the application would be completed sometime next year.

The $550-million flue-gas desulfurization scrubbers are designed to remove 95 percent of the sulfur dioxide emissions from the coal-fired plant’s three power-generating units, which produce 1,710 megawatts of electricity.

The scrubbers will reduce Hatfield’s sulfur dioxide emissions by 145,000 tons a year. By 2010, the plant will produce 13,600 tons a year, according to Allegheny Energy.

Neurohr said new chimneys would have to be constructed for the scrubbers. The three existing stacks will not be used after the scrubbers are operational, he said.