Each week, Edison Electric Institute's Electric Perspectives magazine and participants in its online Electric Utility Marketplace provide readers with the latest industry news and insights—business announcements, The Power Poll, The Energy Economist, Electric Efficiency at Work or Building the Future. 
Building the Future
Top examples of utility innovation and investment
Alabama Power’s Plant Miller
Alabama Power recently completed more than $1.2 billion in environmental improvements at Plant Miller, the company’s largest coal-fired generating facility, with a nameplate capacity of 2,640 megawatts. The scrubbing technology is state-of-the-art—and this investment will meet stringent environmental regulations and lead to better air quality in the 
Birmingham area, where the plant is located.
Combined with similar improvements at other company generating facilities, Alabama Power has invested nearly $2.6 billion in clean-air technologies over the past 10 years.
“We’re pleased to be part of the efforts in the Birmingham area and in other communities across the state to improve air quality,” said Charles McCrary, Alabama Power president and CEO.
In February 2011, Plant Miller put into service its fourth and final scrubber—a “double contact flow scrubber” supplied by Advatech (a joint venture between URS and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of America) that reduces sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions by more than 98 percent with the type of coal the plant uses and produces saleable gypsum as a byproduct. The technology is capable of controlling multiple emissions, too—particulate matter, mercury, and other gases. The design and construction of these flue-gas desulfurization (FGD) structures on all four units at the plant took more than five years and represent an investment of $870 million. In addition to using 49,000 cubic yards of concrete, 8,400 tons of structural steel, 5,800 tons of ductwork steel, and 2.2 million feet of cable, the project employed 900 craft construction workers at peak.
The company also has installed selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology on all units at Plant Miller that reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, which contribute to ground-level ozone, by up to 80 percent. The SCRs took more than three years to design and build, and cost $365 million. Since 1996, the plant has cut its NOx emissions by 76 percent.
Accolades
With the completion of the final scrubber at Plant Miller, approximately two-thirds of Alabama Power’s coal-fired generating capacity is now equipped with these clean-air technologies.
“Providing outstanding reliability at the lowest cost is our goal, along with meeting our commitments for protecting the environment and the safety of employees,” said Perry Boren, Miller’s plant manager.
The Electric Utility Cost Group (EUCG), a national organization dedicated to improving the cost and performance of generating plants, recently honored the plant with the Best Performing Plant award for the facility’s performance over a five-year period. Plant Miller also was recognized last month by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) as part of its Best Innovation 2011 awards—Miller garnered MHI’s Special Award for Best New Technology. And Power Engineering magazine extended its 2011 Project of the Year award to the plant.
Plant Miller provides enough power to serve the needs of about 800,000 homes and employs some 330 people, many of whom are involved in community volunteerism through the Alabama Power Service Organization (APSO). In 2011 alone, Plant Miller’s APSO members contributed more than 3,600 volunteer hours and donated more than $65,000 in cash and in-kind contributions to community projects.
Puget Sound Energy’s Renewable Energy Visitor Center
Puget Sound Energy’s (PSE’s) Wild Horse Wind and Solar Facility in central Washington generates up to 273 megawatts of wind-powered electricity and 500 kilowatts of solar-powered electricity. Its Renewable Energy Center also draws visitors to learn more about renewable technologies and the area’s unique natural history. Visitors get up-close views of the wind turbines and solar arrays from a 3,500-foot ridge set against the backdrop of the Cascade mountain range, including views of the Columbia River Basin, Mount Rainier, Mount Adams, and Mount Hood. Lands within the 10,000-acre facility also are open to hunting, hiking, bird watching, and horseback riding with written permission.
Watch the PSE video.