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Preserving Air Quality

Lower Emissions Than Industry Peers

Expedition Anticipated Actual Emission Rates vs. U.S., PJM Interconnection, and VA Fossil Plant Averages

Effective Emissions Controls

The emissions most commonly associated with natural gas-fueled power plants are nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon monoxide (CO).

However, with the state-of-the-art design and the use of best available control technology (BACT), emissions will be limited. BACT will include oxidation catalyst and selective catalytic reduction (SCR), in addition to ultra-low NOx burners and water injection, for emissions control.

Ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) will be used minimally as a backup if natural gas supply is challenged.

Responsible Emissions

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has stringent requirements related to air quality and natural gas power plants that are intended to protect human health and the environment.

Expedition will be required to demonstrate:

  1. That it is employing best available control technology (BACT) to minimize emissions.
  2. That emissions from the plant will not cause off-property concentrations to exceed each of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) below, when including other specific surrounding sources and existing background concentrations.
Pollutant Standard Averaging Time Level
Carbon Monoxide (CO) Primary 8-hour 9 ppm
Primary 1-hour 35 ppm
Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) Primary 1-hour 100 ppb
Primary & Secondary Annual 53 ppb
Ozone (O3) Primary & Secondary 8-hour 0.070 ppm
Particulate Matter Primary & Secondary (PM10) 24-hour 150 μg/m³
Primary (PM2.5) Annual 9.0 μg/m³
Secondary (PM2.5) Annual 15 μg/m³
Primary & Secondary (PM2.5) 24-hour 35 μg/m³
Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) Primary 1-hour 75 ppb
Secondary Annual 10 ppb

All areas of Virginia, except for counties in the DC Metro area and a portion of Giles County, already comply with all of the NAAQS. Expedition will not change that.