J. P. Pulliam Generating Station

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J. P. Pulliam Generating Station
J. P. Pulliam Generating Station, Green Bay, Wisconsin (9179672863).jpg
View of the plant, circa 2013
J. P. Pulliam Generating Station
CountryUnited States
Location Green Bay, Wisconsin
Coordinates 44°32′24″N88°00′31″W / 44.54000°N 88.00861°W / 44.54000; -88.00861 Coordinates: 44°32′24″N88°00′31″W / 44.54000°N 88.00861°W / 44.54000; -88.00861
StatusOperational
Commission date Units 1–2: 1927
Unit 3: 1943
Unit 4: 1947
Unit 5: 1949
Unit 6: 1951
Unit 7: 1958
Unit 8: 1964
Unit P31: 2003
Decommission dateUnits 1–2: 1980
Units 3–4: 2007
Units 5–6: 2015
Units 7–8: 2018
Owner(s) WEC Energy
Operator(s) Wisconsin Public Service Corporation
Thermal power station
Primary fuel Natural gas
Turbine technology Combustion turbine
Cooling source Green Bay
Power generation
Nameplate capacity 83 MW

J. P. Pulliam Generating Station was an electrical power station powered by sub-bituminous coal, which could also be substituted by natural gas. It was located in Green Bay, Wisconsin in Brown County. The plant was named after the former Wisconsin Public Service Corporation president John Page Pulliam (June 15, 1951). The plant units were connected to the power grid via 138 kV and 69 kV transmission lines. The remaining coal units on site were decommissioned in 2018 leaving only the natural gas fired P31 unit active at the site.

Contents

Units

Units of J. P. Pulliam Generating Station [1]
UnitNameplate capacityInitial year of operationNotes
110 MW1927Retired 1980
210 MW1927Retired 1980
330 MW1943Retired 2007
430 MW1947Retired 2007
550 MW1949693 million BTU per hour, dry bottom boilers that burned pulverized coal. Retired c.2015. [2] [3]
662.5 MW1951875 million BTU per hour, dry bottom boilers that burned pulverized coal. Retired c.2015. [2] [3]
775 MW1958999 million BTU per hour, dry bottom boilers that burn pulverized coal. [3] Retired c.2018. [4]
8125 MW19641510 million BTU per hour, dry bottom boilers that burn pulverized coal. [3] Retired c.2018. [4]
P3183 MW2003Combustion Turbine Generator (Natural Gas or Fuel Oil) [3]

Retirement

Open water appears near the mouth of the Fox due to the warmth of the water coming out of the generating station. Photo taken by an Expedition 38 crew member on February 22, 2014 ISS-38 Green Bay, Wisconsin.jpg
Open water appears near the mouth of the Fox due to the warmth of the water coming out of the generating station. Photo taken by an Expedition 38 crew member on February 22, 2014

As a result of EPA clean air act enforcement, two coal fired units were retired at Pulliam in 2015 and WPSC was required to make $300 million in upgrades at the Weston Generating Station. [5] Those costs were passed on to utility rate payers. [6] At least ten positions were eliminated when Unit 5 and 6 were retired. [2]

In 2016, WEC Energy (which purchased WPS in 2014) announced they would be retiring the remaining coal units at Pulliam due to lower natural gas prices and affordability of renewables, and they would retire the plant by the end of 2018. [7] The plant was retired in October 2018, [8] with most of its equipment auctioned off in March 2019. [9]

Some local groups expressed concern that the closure may affect local bald eagle populations due to the lack of waste heat keeping the mouth of the Fox River from freezing in the winter, [10] and peregrine falcon populations due to the removal of nesting boxes. [11]

See also

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References

  1. "Existing Electric Generating Units in the United States, 2006" (Excel). Energy Information Administration, U.S. Department of Energy. 2006. Retrieved 2008-07-14.
  2. 1 2 3 "Wisconsin Public Service to close 2 oldest coal-power units". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Associated Press. March 13, 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Clean Air Permit 405031990-P10". WI DNR. June 11, 2003.
  4. 1 2 Jeff Bollier (February 27, 2019). "'Halley's Comet of economic development': Stars align to relocate Green Bay's coal piles". Green Bay Press-Gazette. Retrieved February 28, 2019.
  5. "Wisconsin Public Service Corporation Settlement". EPA. January 4, 2013. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  6. Content, Thomas (January 4, 2013). "Green Bay utility to stop burning coal at two state plants". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
  7. Murray, Patty (December 1, 2017). "Green Bay's Pulliam Plant Will 'Retire' By End Of 2018". Wisconsin Public Radio. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
  8. "Utility Segment". Wisconsin Public Service Corporation Annual Report on Form 10-K, For the Year Ended December 31, 2018. SEC.gov (Report). Retrieved Sep 20, 2019. In connection with a MISO ruling, we retired Pulliam Units 7 and 8 effective October 21, 2018
  9. "Online auction selling off equipment from Pulliam Power Plant". WLUK. Mar 22, 2019. Retrieved Sep 20, 2019.
  10. Srubas, Paul (Feb 1, 2019). "Shutdown of Pulliam plant means fewer eagles in Green Bay this winter". Green Bay Press-Gazette. Retrieved Sep 20, 2019.
  11. "Green Bay Peregrine Falcons Will Soon Need New Home". Wisconsin Public Radio. Mar 30, 2018. Retrieved Sep 20, 2019.