Introducing Plant Scherer
Overview
Plant Scherer provides electricity for all of Georgia using a 3.52 Million kilowatt coal-fired facility. The plant is the most powerful coal-fired facility in the country and the largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the United States. A conglomerate of oil and gas companies are partnered to run and operate it.
Located in Juliette, GA
The History of the Plant
Starting in 1982, Plant Scherer started construction of the first of four units each producing 882 Megawatts of power. The cost-effective production and unit power outweighed the negative environmental aspects causing the plant officials to not comply with the regulations. However, the EPA caught on and eventually lead to air quality improvements. The shift occurred in 2015 when the Southern Company commenced installation of air pollution control methods through Clean Air Implementation Rule, and since then there have been a decline in overall greenhouse gas emissions and an improvement in healthy areas in the surrounding communities to the plant.
Corporate Partners
These three companies collectively run the plant.
What pollutants are emitted?
CO2 causes global warming through the greenhouse effect. The Greenhouse effect occurs when gases in the Earth's atmosphere trap the sun's heat and re-radiates in every direction.
The video on the left gives a brief explanation of the Greenhouse Effect. Power plants specifically emit NOx and SO2 which deteriorate air quality and impact human health.
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Plant Scherer has put air pollution control methods in place to lower their CO2, NOx, and SO2 emissions and create a safer atmosphere for future generations.
Power Making Process
The plant burns the coal that evaporates water into steam. This then propels in a generator, creating electricity. The water is drawn from Ocmugee River and Lake Juliette, while the coal comes from Wyoming’s Powder River Basin. This system has an ash disposal pond for the bottom ash from the plant attempting to mitigate murky water back into the system.
What is a boiler unit?
The four boiler units at Plant Scherer are responsible for burning coal which generates steam from liquid water at the beginning of the electricity production process. The installation dates of each boiler unit at Plant Scherer are shown below.
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