Proposed Coal-Fired Power Plants - Ely Energy Center (EEC) and LS Power's Generation Station

Two major coal-fired power plants have been proposed for eastern Nevada's Steptoe Valley just north of Ely with a population of around 4,500 -- half of the population of the entire county.  Just 50 miles away is Nevada's Great Basin National Park and proudly lets visitors know it is home to the cleanest air in the contiguous United States. The Sierra Club has recently provided detailed comments to the BLM regarding the EEC. 

LS Power's proposed 1200 MW (megawatt) plant would consume up to 25,000 acre-feet of groundwater annually in its cooling towers.  Sierra Pacific Power Company's proposed 1500 MW plant would consume up to 16,000 acre-feet of groundwater annually in its cooling towers.  The draft EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) being prepared by the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) on LS Power's proposal is due out in early Spring 2007.  The development of an EIS has just started for the Ely Energy Center proposed by Sierra Pacific Power Company (SPPC).

Currently, there are two coal-fired power plants operating in Nevada.  One in northern Nevada, Valmy, and one in southern Nevada, Reid Gardner.  Nevada has no coal and all coal is imported to be burned via roadroad to be burned in these plants.  Proposed plants, likewise, will have to import the coal via rail.  To supply coal to eastern Nevada's proposed coal plants would require reconstruction of railroad tracks.   37 percent is from natural gas and oil-fired generating units and 63percent is from the coal-fired generating units.  60 percent is from the natural gas and oil-fired generating units at the Tracy and Fort Churchill facilities and the rest is from the coal-fired generating units at Valmy

Most Americans know that burning coal releases a host of pollutants even when pollution controls for a power plant are required and installed.   Few, however, are aware that metals such as mercury are released as well which causes contamination of rivers and lakes thereby affecting migratory waterfowl and fish.  In addition, sulfur dioxide, nitric oxide, ozone, carbon monoxide, coal release carbon dioxide (CO2) which scientists agree is one of the chief gases causing global warming.  Nevada is now the target for several new coal-fired power plants including the Ely Energy Center -- the 2nd proposed plant in Steptoe Valley -- just north of the town of Ely, Nevada.

Power plants are a major source of air pollution, with coal-fired power plants spewing 59% of total U.S. sulfur dioxide pollution and 18% of total nitrous oxides every year.   Coal-fired power plants are also the largest polluter of toxic mercury pollution (but Nevada's Gold Mines produce the vast majority in Nevada), largest contributor of hazardous air toxics6, and release about 50% of particle pollution.   Additionally, power plants release over 40% of total U.S. carbon dioxide emissions, a prime contributor to global warming. 12.6 million tons of carbon dioxide would be produced by the EEC annually.  In EEC's 50 year lifespan that's 630 million tons.  [Additional Information Here.]

Power plants emit 40% of total U.S. carbon dioxide pollution, the primary global warming pollutant. Although coal-fired power plants account for just over half of the electricity produced in the U.S. each year, they have been responsible for over 83% of the CO2 pollution since 1990.   Coal-fired power plants have the highest output rate of CO2 per unit of electricity among all fossil fuels.  [More on Global Warming and Power Plants Here.]

Sierra Pacific Power Company's (SPPC) Coal-fired Valmy Power Plant in Northern Nevada has a generating capacity of 522 MW (megawatts)


Chief Generation capacity in Nevada by SPPC and Nevada Power (NP)