James M. Barry Electric Generating Plant
| James M. Barry Electric Generating Plant | |
|---|---|
 The plant in 2009 | |
 | |
| Country |
|
| Location | Bucks, Alabama |
| Coordinates | 31°00′22″N 88°00′40″W / 31.0061°N 88.0111°W |
| Status | Active |
| Commission date | Unit 1: February, 1954 Unit 2: July, 1954 Unit 3: July, 1959 Unit 4: July, 1959 Unit 5: October, 1971 Gas Units: May, 2000 |
| Owners | Alabama Power Company |
| Thermal power station | |
| Primary fuel | Bituminous coal, natural gas |
| Turbine technology | Steam, Combined cycle Steam, Combined Cycle Combustion turbine |
| Power generation | |
| Nameplate capacity | 2,671 MWe |
James M. Barry Electric Generating Plant is a coal- and natural gas-fired electrical generation facility in Bucks, Mobile County, Alabama.[1] It lies on the west bank of the Mobile River, using it both for coal delivery as well as for cooling water. The plant was named for James M. Barry, President of Alabama Power Company from 1949 to 1952.[2]
Design and specification
The Barry Plant has five major coal-fired units, which came online in 1954–1971, with respective generating capacities of 138 MW, 137 MW, 249 MW, 362 MW, and 750 MW (year-around). Five natural gas-fired units, including three combined cycle combustion turbines (173 MWe each of winter capacity) and two combined cycle steam turbines (193 MWe each of winter capacity), were installed in 2000.[3]
Environmental impact
Air
A 2007 survey by the Washington, D.C.-based Environmental Integrity Project found that the Barry Plant ranked 25th of the top 30 mercury emitting power plants in the United States, releasing 711 pounds (323 kg) of mercury into the atmosphere. The plant ranked 28th for the amount of nitrogen oxides released into the atmosphere, with 24,000 tons released. Additionally, the survey found that the plant released a yearly total of 61,000 tons of sulfur dioxide and 11 million tons of carbon dioxide.[4][5] A company spokesman for Alabama Power, Michael Sznajderman, noted that scrubbers are being installed at all of the company's coal-fired plants, which will reduce emission levels in coming years.[5]
Waste heat
The plant discharges all of its waste heat (about twice its electrical output) into the Mobile River.
References
- ^ "Generating plants". Alabama Power. Retrieved August 15, 2010.
- ^ "Manuscript Collections". University of Alabama Libraries. University of Alabama. Retrieved August 15, 2010.
- ^ "Existing Electric Generating Units in the United States, 2008" (Excel). Energy Information Administration, U.S. Department of Energy. 2008. Retrieved 2009-11-28.
- ^ "Barry Power Plant". Asbestos.com, Mesothelioma Center. Retrieved August 15, 2010.
- ^ a b Spencer, Thomas (November 21, 2008). "Coal-fired plant in West Jefferson County puts more mercury in air than any other in nation". The Birmingham News. Retrieved August 15, 2010.