D.C. mayor scolds Alexandria power plant

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Angst over pollution from GenOn power plant on the banks of the Potomac has drifted across the river, prompting Washington Mayor Vincent Gray to mobilize his administration against the coal-fired facility.

A report by the Sierra Club claiming the plant breached federally regulated sulfur dioxide levels prompted Gray and the Districts Department of Environment to consider petitioning the Environmental Protection Agency to investigate, according to DOE Director Christophe A.G. Toulou.

We are concerned about these modeling results We will also work with the Public Service Commission to ensure that possible loss of generating capacity at the power plant would not jeopardize reliability of electricity in the District during times of peak demand [in case of a shut down], Tulou said in a statement.

Alexandria uses little to no energy generated by the plant but the citys sulfur dioxide levels trump those in the District and Maryland, which siphon most of the electricity created at the 60-year old facility. Thats enough for City Councilman Rob Krupicka to call for GenOns relocation.

I support what the mayor is doing, Krupicka said. The health of the community is our top priority. Having an old power plant in the middle of the community raises a number of health concerns. We need to be moving toward cleaner fuels.

Alternative power sources are also part of the Sierra Clubs mission as it continues to roll out its Beyond Coal Campaign. But spokesman Josh Stebbins insists public health is everyones first order of business. 

GenOn, then called Mirant, set aside $34 million for emissions improvements in 2008 after citizen-led groups and the city government put pressure on the national energy powerhouse. Critics doubt the reforms have done much to improve air quality, and the improvements were implemented under the citys control, said Misty Allen, GenOn spokeswoman.

The technologies that were identified by the city as appropriate have been installed and are being used, Allen said. Even the timetable for construction was drafted by the city, marking the date for completion in Spring of 2013.

Many of the 150 GenOn employees are Alexandria residents, and those who arent still contribute to the local economy, Allen said. The plant pays more than $2 million in taxes annually, she added.

The Virginia Department of Environment Quality fined the plant $275,000 for permit violations in May. GenOn has complied with the corrective steps outlined by the DEQ, Allen said. The plant has also offered its own data to the DEQ to assure them, contrary to the Sierra Clubs conclusions, that they are in compliance with the law.

Were always willing to discuss concerns with officials and we will be talking with leaders in the city to resolve any issues, Allen said.

D.C. environment officials said they are still gathering information and have not yet decided to file a petition with the EPA. Alexandria officials are looking for precedence in New Jersey, where state officials petitioned the EPA to investigate a nearby Pennsylvania GenOn plant. The EPA ended up stiffening pollution regulations.

Heavier regulations arent enough in the long-term, Krupicka said.
That plant needs to go. Its been here a long time and served the region. It has lived out its life.

GenOn has no plans of closing. The Potomac River generating station is a successful business, according to Allen.

Every year we evaluate the viability of the business and make our decision based on that, she said.

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