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TXU is lowering its emissions of mercury even
more due to continued use of sub-bituminous
(western) coal. While this type of coal has
lower mercury concentrations than lignite, it
involves higher costs since it must also be
transported by train from other states,
hundreds of miles away, for use in Texas.
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TXU is participating with the EPA, industry
groups and university research institutions to
identify additional control technologies. We will
continue to support and participate in the ongoing studies
of mercury emissions from power plants. |
NATIONAL MERCURY REDUCTIONS
The EPA is developing rules to regulate the
level of mercury captured from power plants and
is currently scheduled to propose new control
regulations by the end of 2003. The company
has worked cooperatively with the EPA in the
past on this issue and will continue to do so in
the future. Specifically, we are cooperating with
the EPA as it determines if further mercury reductions
from power plants are needed and, if so, how we should achieve those
reductions. This effort is complicated by the fact that there
is no commercially proven technology to further
capture mercury emissions from Texas lignite
power plants. While research is underway on this
issue, possible solutions – if and when proven –
will take time and money to implement.
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FUTURE AIR COMPLIANCE ISSUES –
NEW SOURCE REVIEW
Over the years, TXU has worked closely with the
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
(and its predecessor agencies) as well as the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to
ensure that our power plant activities are
consistent with the requirements of the Clean
Air Act. As a result, we believe that all of our
facilities are in full compliance with EPA New
Source Review requirements.
In December 2002, the EPA proposed a new
rule related to routine maintenance, repair and
replacement under the New Source Review air
permitting program. This rule is currently in
the regulatory process, and we continue to
evaluate potential impacts as the rule evolves.
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