The nation's coal fleet is likely to run cleaner over the next decade as utilities plan a massive rollout of emissions controls as shown by the latest data from Argus Media. As many as 125 sulfur dioxide-cutting scrubbers are planned for coal-fired plants in the U.S. and Canada over the next decade as utilities aim to meet current and forthcoming air quality rules.

The installation of scrubbers comes as emission allowance prices have surged to record highs of near $700/ton, according to the Argus Air Daily. The report, which has been made publicly available, has confirmed installations or plans for scrubbers - often referred to as flue gas desulfurization units - on 374 coal-fired units in the U.S. and Canada. More than 1,000 plants or their owners were contacted.

About 125 units are planning or considering scrubbers, or have them under construction. Most of the units planned are in the southeast, led by Southern Co., LG&E, Dominion, Duke and Progress Energy. Alberta's Transalta is also busy with scrubber plans.

Scrubbers are planned for installation on more than 60,000 MW of capacity. About 100,000 MW already have some form of scrubbing device. This list could grow dramatically as the EPA announced its finalized SO₂ and NO_X rules and laid out the first-ever mercury cuts for March. State air rules and settlements reached by utilities with the EPA are driving much of the current planning for scrubbing coal plants. Eleven firms currently have plans to install 10 or more scrubbers.

The list details the type of scrubbers and includes such key data as county, state, generating capacity and ORISPL number (a key government ID for tracking plants).

The report is a publication of Argus Media, which also has reports on selective catalytic reduction and publishes the periodicals Coal Weekly, Coal Transportation Report and Clean Air Compliance Solutions. For questions about the report, contact: Robin Saikin, rsaikin@argusmediagroup.com or (713) 968-0000, ext. 121.