Pennsylvania Power & Light Co. will monitor weather conditions Tuesday (3/12) and will evaluate reducing electricity generation at its Montour plant if a temperature inversion similar to the one experienced Monday occurs again in the area.

On Monday a combination of high barometric pressure, lack of wind, cool ground temperatures and high upper air temperatures caused a temperature inversion that created a dense cloud in Montour County. Area residents called county emergency management officials out of concern that the cloud was caused by an industrial release of some kind.

However, investigation by emergency management officials, the state Department of Environmental Protection and others turned up no leaks or other industrial releases to explain the cloud.

"Apparently the cloud was caused by a rare combination of weather factors," said Rod Keller, PP&L's Bloomsburg area community development director. "The combination created a 'lid' that prevented normal emissions from a variety of sources and moisture formed by the temperature inversion from dispersing into the atmosphere."

To minimize any possible effect on air quality, PP&L volunteered to reduce generation at the Montour plant from normal full generation — about 1.5 million kilowatts — to about 875,000 kilowatts, Keller said. The plant maintained the lower generation from late afternoon Monday until 6:15 a.m. Tuesday when it returned to full generation.

"If similar conditions occur again, we will evaluate reducing generation," he added.