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The Brunner Island power plant makes electricity by burning coal, our nation’s most abundant energy source. Burning coal produces steam that turns a turbine that spins a generator to make electricity.
It starts with coal. The Brunner Island plant burns more than 3 million tons of coal per year. Coal is crushed into a fine powder and burned in large boilers, where water is heated to make steam. Brunner Island has three boilers.
The steam passes through turbines. Each turbine has rings of fan-like metal blades. As steam passes over the blades, the turbines turn very fast.
The turbines have a central metal shaft that is connected to a generator, where an electromagnet spins inside a ring of copper wire to produce electricity.
When the steam has done its work, it is cooled by water from the Susquehanna River, turns back into water, and is pumped back to the boiler to begin the cycle all over again. | | 
Scrubbers are environmental controls that remove nearly all of the sulfur dioxide from the emissions of coal-fired power plants.
They work by spraying a mixture of crushed limestone and water onto the exhaust gas before it goes out the plant’s chimney. The limestone and water react with the sulfur in the plant’s exhaust to form synthetic gypsum, which will be collected and shipped to a company that manufactures drywall.
Two scrubbers are being built at the Brunner Island plant. These scrubbers will handle all of the exhaust from the plant’s three boilers. The scrubber for Unit 3 will be completed in 2008. The scrubber for Units 1 and 2 will be completed in 2009.
Work on the scrubbers is now about 25 percent complete.
Scrubbers will remove about 100,000 tons of sulfur dioxide per year from emissions at Brunner Island. Sulfur dioxide contributes to acid rain and respiratory problems.
In addition to improving air quality, the scrubbers will enable the Brunner Island plant to operate for many years to come. | |
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Two schools, Orendorf Elementary and Shallow Brook Intermediate, received PPL Project Earth Environmental Education grants. Orendorf Elementary will use the grant money to prepare its Envirothon Club for the York County Envirothon. Shallow Brook Intermediate will use the grant money for an orienteering program that combines science with physical education.
As a corporation, and as individuals, we understand our responsibility to do the right thing. Read PPL’s Corporate Responsibility Report.
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Northeastern York School District
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PPL to begin bypass road project in April
PPL will begin work in April to build a bypass road that will help keep truck traffic out of the downtown areas of York Haven.
The road, nearly a mile in length, will start just off the north end of Brunner Island and reconnect with Route 382 west of York Haven. River Road will be closed during the project, expected to be completed by year’s end.
The project will eventually require closing the intersection of Front and Locust streets for about 6-8 weeks in early summer. The timing of that work will depend on the completion of site preparation work at the intersection.
“We recognize that this work will temporarily cause inconveniences for some of our neighbors, but the goal is to reroute truck traffic safely around residential areas within York Haven,” said Steve Marbaise, plant manager. “Signs will be posted to alert drivers about the detours.
“We originally scheduled this project for completion in 2008, but it was delayed because of permitting issues,” he said. “We are listening to concerns from our neighbors and working with community leaders and local police on practical ways to make the roads safer for everyone.” |
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Plant prepares to place first scrubber into operation
When you see white clouds coming from the new chimney stack at PPL’s Brunner Island plant soon, it will be a signal that the new environmental controls are operational.
“Our neighbors are not used to seeing emissions from the plant,” said Steve Marbaise, Brunner Island plant manager. “But when the first of the two scrubbers goes into service this spring, you’ll notice white vapor coming from the new chimney.
“The white plume is the result of the moisture created by the wet scrubber process,” Marbaise said. “The plant’s exhaust will be nearly free of sulfur Plant prepares to place first scrubber into operation dioxide, but will contain more water vapor.”
When complete, the two scrubbers will remove nearly all of the sulfur dioxide and also will capture mercury from the plant’s emissions. PPL is spending about $700 million on the scrubbers and related equipment as part of an investment of more than $800 million in environmental upgrades at Brunner Island.
“The project will result in a significant improvement in the quality of the air we breathe and represents a major investment in the plant,” Marbaise said. |
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Ospreys, peregrine falcons, eagles and barn owls are soaring throughout Pennsylvania’s skies, thanks in part to PPL Corporation’s efforts to help restore the once-dwindling populations of raptors. And now PPL is offering the public a bird’s-eye view of the birds of prey that nest at the company’s power plants and other facilities.
PPL launched a Web site so the public can watch the falcons that have taken up residence on the emissions stacks at PPL’s Montour power plant in north central Pennsylvania. The peregrine falcons began nesting at Montour in 2007.
In addition, the Web site, birdsofpreyatppl.com, will provide updates and photographs on all the birds of prey that live at PPL facilities. And check out the calendar of events at www.pplpreserves.com for free educational events you can attend in your area. |
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PPL’s Brunner Island power plant has been part of the northeastern York County community for 45 years. We believe it’s important to be a good and responsible neighbor. The electricity we generate each year is enough to power more than 1 million homes. To reduce the plant’s impact on air and water quality, PPL is investing more than $800 million in environmental improvements.
Our employees – more than 240 in all – support many community activities in their spare time. The plant has recreational facilities for community use, including an environmental preserve where you can fish, boat or hike through prime habitat for local wildlife. | |
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Giving back to communities is PPL’s way of doing business. Matters that are important to the people who live near the Brunner Island plant are important to us.
We look to build lasting partnerships and find constructive solutions. That’s why PPL is a member of the Trendsetter Giving Society of Northeastern School District, why we have funded a traffic safety program with Newberry Township police, and why we developed recreation fields for East Manchester Township.
Part of giving back is the plant’s effect on the local economy, which includes school, municipal and county tax payments of about $500,000 a year. | | |