Warrior Run (generating station)

Warrior Run is a 180 MW cogeneration plant located south of Cumberland, Maryland, at 11600 Mexico Farms Road that is owned by the AES Corporation. In addition to electric power, the plant also produces food-grade carbon dioxide. The plant uses fluidized bed combustion (FBC) technology, in which bituminous coal and finely ground limestone is injected using air into the boiler. The air keeps the limestone and coal suspended in a fluid-like condition. The limestone reacts with the sulfur dioxide released during the combustion of the coal, removing this pollutant from the emissions. With the enhanced sulfur dioxide removal due to the FBC technology, Warrior Run can burn approximately 400,000 tons of coal from Maryland, which tends to be of a higher sulfur content. During 2007, 100% of the coal burned at Warrior Run was mined in Maryland.cite web
author=Power Plant Research Program
title=Maryland Power Plants and the Environment: A Review of the Impacts of Power Plants and Transmission Lines on Maryland's Natural Resources
work =
pages = 11, 68
publisher = Maryland Department of Natural Resources
date = February 2008
url = http://esm.versar.com/pprp/ceir14/toc.htm
format =
doi =
accessdate=2008-08-30] The Maryland Department of the Environment water appropriations permit under which the dam operates, which is renewable, will expire on January 1, 2018. The FBC boiler operates at a lower temperature compared to other coal-fired boiler technology, resulting is less production of nitrogen oxides, although the plant also uses the injection of ammonia and a selective non-catalytic reduction to remove nitrogen oxides. Finally, the plant also uses a baghouse to remove particulates from its air emissions.

Warrior Run became operational on February 10, 2000. As provided by the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978, the local utility, Allegheny Power, is required to purchase the electric output of Warrior Run at its 'avoided cost' rate for thirty years. However, this 'avoided cost' rate is higher than the wholesale price of electricity, so Allegheny Power recovers the difference in this price through a surcharge on the bills of the customers of its Maryland subsidiary, the Potomac Edison Company. [cite web
author= Potomac Edison Company
title = S-4 SEC Filing
work =
publisher =
date = April 29, 2005
url = http://sec.edgar-online.com/2005/04/29/0000003673-05-000084/Section6.asp
format =
doi =
accessdate=2008-09-01] This surcharge will end in April 2030.

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