PPL Brunner Island

PPL's Brunner Island is a three-unit, coal-fired plant located on the west bank of the Susquehanna River in East Manchester Township, York County — about 15 miles downstream from Harrisburg, Pa.

The plant has about 240 full-time employees (figure adjusted for seasonal workload) and is owned by a subsidiary of PPL Generation.

Unit 1 began commercial operation in 1961; it has 334 megawatts of generating capacity. Unit 2, which began commercial operation in 1965, has 390 megawatts of generating capacity. Unit 3 came on line in 1969 and has 759 megawatts of generating capacity.

Brunner Island uses low-sulfur coal to reduce emissions that cause acid rain. One hundred percent of the ash produced at the plant is processed and beneficially used as construction material instead of being disposed of as waste.

Since 1990, the Brunner Island plant has reduced sulfur dioxide emissions by about 25 percent, Toxic Release Inventory reportable substances by about 33 percent and nitrogen oxide emissions by about 50 percent.

In 2005, PPL announced that it would install "scrubbers" that will remove nearly all of the sulfur dioxide emissions from the plant's three generating units. The scrubbers are expected to be operational in 2008 and 2009.

On March 10, 2003, Brunner Island achieved "Star" certification in the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Voluntary Protection Program. The plant was recertified in June 2006.

The program recognizes companies that go beyond compliance to protect worker health and safety. The VPP Star certification is the highest safety recognition given within the program.

Brunner Island is a popular fishing spot.

To learn more, visit PPL Brunner Island's Web page.