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The Montour 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 Montour plant burns more than 3 million tons of coal per year. Coal is crushed into a fine powder and burned in two large boilers, where water is heated to make steam.
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 to again become water, which is pumped back to the boiler to begin the cycle all over again.
The main source of water for cooling is a 12-mile pipeline that draws water from the West Branch of the Susquehanna River. The 165-acre Lake Chillisquaque, located near the plant, is a backup source of water for cooling. | | 
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 drywall manufacturing facility that is being built across the road from the power plant.
Scrubbers will remove about 100,000 tons of sulfur dioxide per year from emissions at Montour. Sulfur dioxide contributes to acid rain and respiratory problems.
In addition to improving air quality, the scrubbers will enable the Montour plant to operate for many years to come. | |
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PPL’s Montour power plant generated more electricity in 2006 than any year in its history. The plant, which began operation in 1972, generated 10.9 billion kilowatt-hours last year. That’s enough electricity to supply about 1 million typical homes.
The Montour plant also set a record for availability: the measure of time it is able to produce the full amount of electricity it is capable of generating. Plant availability was 91 percent in 2006. The average for power plants similar to Montour is 84 percent.
“Employees are the heart and soul of our performance,” said plant manager Michael Munroe. “Their attention to detail contributes to the plant’s success.” |
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Unit 2 scrubber comes on line at Montour
The Unit 2 scrubber at the Montour power plant has begun operating, signaling a new chapter in PPL’s commitment to the environment and to the long-term viability of this major coal-fired generating plant.
On March 8, the scrubber started operations to remove 97 percent of the sulfur dioxide from plant emissions. Sulfur dioxide is a byproduct of coal combustion that contributes to the formation of acid rain. The Unit 1 scrubber is scheduled to begin operating in May.
The most visible change at Montour since the scrubber went into operation is the white vapor coming out of the 700-foot emission stack. It looks the same as the water vapor that comes out of the cooling towers.
Another visible change is the green siding around the tall metal buildings housing the new scrubber equipment and the resurfaced roadways in front of the new limestone handling building.
In wet scrubbers like the ones at Montour, a mixture of water and pulverized limestone is sprayed onto the exhaust gases, created when the plant burns coal to produce electricity.
The result is cleaner air and a byproduct, synthetic gypsum, which will be used to make drywall at a separate manufacturing facility being built by U.S. Gypsum across the road from the power plant. This facility, made possible by PPL’s scrubber project, will create 150 news jobs for the community surrounding the plant.
The gypsum and limestone conveyors — about 30-foot high and enclosed — that cross Strawberry Ridge Road are complete and ready for service. They are designed to transport the limestone from the handling area to the scrubbers and the gypsum byproduct to the U.S. Gypsum plant. |
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Get a bird’s-eye view of the peregrine falcons nesting at PPL Montour Environmental Preserve at PPL’s new Web site highlighting birds of prey at its facilities.
A webcam at PPL Montour was recently installed to keep an eye on the peregrine falcons that have taken up residence on the emissions stacks. The falcons began nesting at Montour in 2007, and this year have four eggs expected to hatch around Mother’s Day.
Of the 24 known falcon nests in Pennsylvania, four are at PPL facilities. In fact, PPL has helped restore falcon, osprey, bald eagle and barn owl populations throughout Pennsylvania’s skies by dedicating resources to enhance habitat for threatened or endangered wildlife and working with the Pennsylvania Game Commission and other conservationists to monitor their progress.
Learn about our birds of prey, see photos and get the latest news from the nests at www.birdsofpreyatppl.com. |
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“The Nature Notebook,” a weekly radio feature by PPL senior naturalist Jon Beam, airs Sundays at 4:57 p.m. on WVIA, the National Public Radio affiliate serving northeastern and central Pennsylvania.
A joint venture between PPL and WVIA, “The Nature Notebook” series examines both subtle and obvious changes that occur in nature throughout the year.
Listen to “The Nature Notebook” on 89.9 FM in northeastern Pennsylvania, 94.3 FM in Stroudsburg, 99.3 FM in Allentown, 100.5 FM in Lewisburg, 105.7 FM in Sunbury, 99.7 FM in Mainesburg, 89.7 FM in Williamsport, 90.3 FM in Clarks Summit, 105.7 FM in Bethlehem and 94.9 FM in Pottsville.
Click here to access previous "The Nature Notebook" segments. | |
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All of us who work at PPL’s Montour power plant understand that our responsibility goes beyond the electricity we generate for homes and businesses.
We have shown our community spirit in many ways. Our $600 million scrubber project, to be completed in 2008, is not just a major environmental upgrade, but also a boost for the local economy. Synthetic gypsum produced in the scrubber will be used at a drywall manufacturing facility that’s creating jobs right across the road from the power plant.
For more than 35 years our Montour Environmental Preserve has been a valuable resource for fishing, boating, hiking, bird watching and educational programs for all ages. And we’re creating new recreational opportunities in nearby Madison Township.
Our main purpose is to generate electricity, and we continue to do so safely and effectively. In 2006, the Montour plant generated more electricity than any year in its history – enough to supply more than 1 million homes. | |
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Being a good neighbor is important to PPL and the Montour power plant.
In addition to the jobs that the plant provides, PPL has been involved in attracting jobs to the area, including the new drywall manufacturing facility that will use synthetic gypsum produced by the power plant's scrubbers.
PPL and its employees support many community and business organizations and are major contributors to the Danville Area United Way.
We also are involved with schools and education. Our Montour Environmental Preserve hosts many nature and environmental programs each year. | |
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