Westar Energy Invests $300 Million at Kansas Power Plant to Reduce Sulfur Dioxide Emissions

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Westar Energy Incorporated (NYSE:WR) (Topeka, Kansas) is investing over $300 million to modernize and restart three Alstom/Combustion Engineering wet flue gas desulfurization (FGD) scrubbers to reduce sulfur dioxide (SO2). The FGDs are being modernized on three coal Alstom/Combustion Engineering boilers at the 2,160-megawatt Jeffrey Energy Center (Saint Marys, Kansas). When all three FGDs are restarted, an estimated 54,000 tons or over 95% of SO2 will be removed.

Westar Energy selected Burns and McDonnell (Kansas City, Missouri) to provide the engineering for the project and Powerplant Maintenance Services Incorporated (PMSI) (Costa Mesa, California) to handle the construction. The modifications include utilizing URS Corporation (NYSE:URS) (San Francisco, California) design absorbers, replacing modules, installing new pumps, converting to forced oxidation, and installing a solids dewatering system and upgraded limestone preparation system. The construction commenced spring 2007. Unit 1 has commenced operations; Unit 3 will follow this fall, and Unit 2 will be restarted spring 2009. Future SO2 reduction includes possible FGD upgrades at the Lawrence Energy Center (Lawrence, Kansas).

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