For immediate release: 8/14/07

GRDA approves installation of mercury monitoring equipment

Vinita — Continuing its reputation as an Oklahoma leader in environmental compliance efforts, the Grand River Dam Authority took another step forward in that position earlier this month. At its August 1 meeting, the GRDA Board of Directors approved an $800,000 project to install continuous mercury emissions monitoring equipment at the GRDA Coal-Fired Complex. The Authority also expects to have that equipment installed and certified by July 2008, well ahead of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mandate of December 31, 2008.

“It is an aggressive time table, but the sooner we have this equipment in place, the sooner we begin gathering this important information,” said GRDA Chief Executive Officer Kevin Easley. “I really want to commend the GRDA Board for taking this important step.”

Both units at the GRDA Coal-Fired Complex already utilize state-of-the-art continuous emissions monitoring systems (CEMs); those were first installed in the early 1990s. However, this new equipment will focus on mercury emissions; something the EPA has put a high priority on in recent years. The EPA issued the Clean Air Mercury Rule in March 2005 with a goal of permanently capping and reducing mercury emissions. Collecting data is an important first step.

“When it’s installed this equipment will do what our other CEMs have been doing for many years now,” said GRDA Assistant General Manager of Thermal Generation Charles Barney, “and that is provide us with real-time date about emissions from our facility.”

GRDA’s current CEMs system already provides data round-the-clock to the EPA said Barney “and when the new mercury system is in place it will simply mean that more data from our facility is available to the agency.”

The GRDA Coal-Fired Complex was constructed in the early 1980s. Unit 1 (GRDA 1) began commercial operations in 1982; Unit 2 (GRDA 2) followed in 1985. GRDA 2 it is equipped with the only flue gas desulfurization unit (Scrubber) in Oklahoma, making it the state’s cleanest coal-burning unit.

“GRDA has been a leader in environmental rule compliance and in protecting the environment throughout its history,” said Easley. “We fully expect to maintain that reputation in the years to come.”