In early November, Site and Operational Plans were approved for the construction of a new refined coal facility to be located at the WE Energies Pleasant Prairie Power Plant. The facility will be located adjacent to the power plant approximately 1,400 feet from the nearest property line (95th Street). It will be comprised of four small buildings and conveyor belts.
Coal will be conveyed through a pug-mill building where two chemicals (MerSorb - used to control mercury and S-Sorb - used to capture sulfur dioxide and heavy metals) will be mixed with the coal as part of a refining process. The new refined coal facility will replace a system that had already been in place performing the same function.
We Energies is replacing its existing system with the new refined coal facility to take advantage of tax credits that are available related to the process. Representatives of We Energies explained that the new facility will have a neutral impact on emissions from the plant.
The refining facility will be installed, owned and operated by an independent company, Kenosha Fuels, LLC (a subsidiary of DTE Energy Services, Inc.). Once operational, the company anticipates the creation of 15 full-time positions. The facility is expected to generate an additional 15 to 25 truck trips to the plant weekly. Construction is expected to take between three and four months to complete once all approvals have been obtained.