The Kansas Department of Health and Environment is taking comments until Oct. 14 on a draft air permit that would allow Westar Energy to install new NOx controls on the coal-fired Jeffrey Energy Center (JEC) Units 1 and 2.
Westar is proposing to make certain modifications to the existing burner and combustion system on the Units 1 and 2 boilers at JEC. The burner and combustion system modifications include further tuning of existing equipment for Unit 1. Plus there would be upgrades to the existing low NOX burners (LNB) and separated overfire air (SOFA), adjustments to existing SOFA, additional SOFA for deeper staging, low NOX system tuning and installation of associated equipment for Unit 2.
This project will result in an overall decrease in NOx emissions, the department noted. As a result of lowering NOx emissions there may be an increase in carbon monoxide (CO) emissions. With the increase in CO emissions a decrease in CO2 emissions is anticipated.
The Westar website said that 1,857-MW Jeffrey Energy Center is the largest power plant in Kansas, with Westar Energy owning 92% and Great Plains Energy controlling 8%. Construction began in 1974. Unit 1 began operation in 1978, Unit 2 in 1980 and Unit 3 in 1983. The plant is fueled by low-sulfur coal from the Powder River Basin and uses up to 10 million tons of coal per year.
