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Tenaska’s Commitment to Protecting Public Health and the Environment

In 20 years of operating the Tenaska Virginia Generating Station in Fluvanna County, Tenaska has an exemplary safety and environmental record. The plant has operated in a manner that protects the environment and public health. As such, public health will continue to be protected if Expedition Generating Station, our proposed new facility, is approved to operate.

Bottom line: The proposed Expedition Generating Station will receive permission to operate only if it meets all local, state and federal standards, which includes the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s strict standards that safeguard public health, building on the reliable performance of the current plant.

Robust approval process

The needed air and wastewater permits are issued by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). This is because DEQ has technical experts, monitoring capabilities and expertise to evaluate and issue permits on complex and technical issues. DEQ solicits input and review from federal and state agencies, such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Virginia Department of Health and the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, among other agencies. DEQ only issues a permit after the local government has approved a project from a land use perspective, which is why the first steps are with the Fluvanna County Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors.

Recently updated air standards protect residents

The federal Clean Air Act and regulations from the U.S. EPA and Virginia DEQ establish standards to protect public health from air emissions. These are called the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and are based on criteria to protect sensitive populations such as asthmatics, children and the elderly with an adequate margin of safety.

The issue that has attracted the most attention is the level of PM2.5 – which is small particulate matter that comes from a variety of sources including wood burning, car and truck exhaust, windblown dust, wildfires, pollen and power plants. In 2024, the Biden Administration reduced the annual standard for PM2.5 by 25% after considering the latest health literature from experts, input from EPA’s independent Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee and hundreds of thousands of public comments. The new standard was applauded by many public health and environmental groups. The EPA Administrator certified that the new standard would protect, with an adequate margin of safety, those with pre-existing cardiovascular and respiratory disease, children and elderly residents.

Fluvanna has clean air and this won’t change

If you want to know what sort of impact a new plant will have on Fluvanna County, take a close look at the county’s air and health statistics after more than 20 years of operating a natural gas-fueled power plant. The facts are clear – Tenaska’s consistent adherence to tight regulations has kept the county safe.

  • Fluvanna County’s PM2.5 concentrations are well below federal health-based standards based on data collected from the closest regional monitor.
  • Fluvanna County’s rates of adult asthma, COPD and all types of cancer are in line with surrounding counties without natural gas-fueled power plants.
  • Tenaska’s current plant in Fluvanna operates well below its permitted emission limits. These limits are set by DEQ to protect public health and the environment, based upon plant design and related ambient impacts, and the plant’s emissions stay far under those levels.

Protective of water quality

Tenaska must meet national Clean Water Act standards administered by DEQ to ensure no negative impacts from withdrawing water from the James River and discharging into nearby waterways within the same watershed. The withdrawal permits ensure the amount of water taken does not harm other users or aquatic life. While the 7 million gallons per day of water use sounds like a lot, it represents just 0.20% of the average daily water flow from the James River. Water intake is closely monitored and will be limited or ceased by ECTI – the water supplier – if the river flow decreases below certain levels. Conservation measures are put in place during drought conditions.

The wastewater discharge permit ensures that streams and rivers will not be harmed and can be used for the benefit of residents. The permits also include a variety of tests and monthly monitoring reports sent to DEQ to ensure ongoing compliance and no harm to water quality and aquatic species. The existing Tenaska plant has maintained an exemplary compliance record throughout its 20-year history.