EPA Finalizes Greenhouse Gas Permit for Victoria Power Station Expansion

From EPA:

EPA Finalizes Greenhouse Gas Permit for Victoria Power Station Expansion

$200 million project will create 80 construction jobs

DALLAS – (Oct. 9, 2014) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a final greenhouse gas (GHG) Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) construction permit to Victoria WLE to expand the Victoria Power Station. The expansion will allow the Victoria County, Texas, facility to add equipment and capacity to its combined-cycle electricity generating unit.

“Texas continues to play a key role in our nation’s diverse energy mix,” said Regional Administrator Ron Curry. “As the economy grows, facilities like the Victoria Power Station will provide low-carbon sources of energy.”

The additional natural gas-fired combustion turbine will result in a combined-cycle generating unit in a 2x2x1 configuration, meaning two combustion turbines, two heat-recovery steam generators, and a steam generator. The $200 million project will create about 80 temporary jobs and four to six permanent jobs.       

In June 2010, EPA finalized national GHG regulations, which specify that beginning on Jan. 2, 2011, projects that increase GHG emissions substantially will require an air permit.

EPA believes states are best equipped to run GHG air permitting programs. Texas is working to replace the federal implementation plan with its own State program, which will eliminate the need for businesses to seek air permits from EPA. This action will increase efficiency and allow industry to continue to grow in Texas.

EPA has finalized 55 GHG permits in Texas, proposed an additional four permits, and currently has 10 additional GHG permits in development in Texas.

For all of the latest information on GHG permits in Texas please visit: http://yosemite.epa.gov/r6/Apermit.nsf/AirP

EPA is taking a variety of actions to cut Greenhouse Gas emissions and address the impacts of climate change. Most recently, EPA released a Clean Power Plan for existing power plants to cut carbon pollution by 30 percent below 2005 levels. Learn more about EPA’s actions at http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/.

Connect with EPA Region 6:

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eparegion6 

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/EPAregion6

Activities in EPA Region 6: http://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/region6.htm 

# # #