The Department of Environmental Quality has approved the air permit for an 830 megawatt coal-fired power plant in Hampton Township proposed by Consumers Energy Company, with the condition that Consumers Energy Company will retire up to 958 megawatts of coal-fired generating capacity from seven of the company's oldest existing coal plants in Michigan.  The decision follows a period of extensive review by the DEQ of Consumers Energy Company's application, supporting information, and public comment.

The conditions of the permit issued today will additionally ensure that the project uses state-of-the art technology including scrubber and hydrated lime injection control for sulfur dioxide, acid gasses, and hazardous air pollutants; baghouse control for particulate and hazardous air pollutants; carbon injection for mercury control; and selective catalytic reduction for nitrogen oxide control.  The project will be ready to employ carbon capture and sequestration technology to reduce greenhouse gas emissions once that technology becomes commercially feasible.

Consumers Energy Company currently utilizes one of the nation's oldest coal-fired generation fleets, averaging 50 years of age.  As a result, this project will create an overall reduction of a number of harmful emissions due to antiquated generating equipment being replaced with newer and cleaner technology.  Those reductions include a decrease of particulate matter (PM10) emissions by at least 807 tons per year, SO2 emissions by 18,900 tons, NOx emissions by 5,350 tons, lead emissions by 240 pounds, and mercury emissions by 353 pounds. 

The DEQ has prepared a Response to Comments Document, which provides the department's responses to comments received during the public comment period of the permitting process and at the public hearing.  Copies of the Response to Comments Document and the revised Permit to Install are available online by referencing Permit to Install Number 341-07 at: http://www.deq.state.mi.us/aps/cwerp.shtml. 

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