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October 22, 2001
FIRST DELIVERY OF SOLID FUEL AT JEA'S NORTHSIDE GENERATING STATION
Jacksonville - JEA is scheduled to accept its first shipment of solid fuel for the two repowered units at the Northside Generating Station on Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2001. Utilizing solid fuels such as coal or petroleum coke to generate electricity further reduces Jacksonville's need for foreign oil.1
On Tuesday for the first time in its 35-year history, JEA's Northside Generating Station plans to unload a barge carrying 18,000 tons of petroleum coke (pet coke) at its dock on the St. Johns River. Pet coke is a solid fuel that looks like coal. When the plant is fully operational, shipments will typically be 60,000-tons, from various ports in the Americas.
JEA's continuous ship unloader, the only one of its type in the continental U.S., will move the fuel from the barge onto the fuel conveyor system which transports it to the two largest fuel storage domes in North America. Pet coke and coal will travel from the ship to the domes in about twenty minutes, entirely inside a sealed system to prevent dust particles from escaping into the surrounding environment.
The $600 million Northside Repowering Project is converting two old, inefficient units fueled by oil or gas, to new, state-of-the-art circulating fluidized bed (CFB) combustors. The conversion will increase power output at the plant, improve energy efficiency, reduce air emissions, and help keep electric rates low and stable well into the future in Jacksonville.
The Northside Generating Station began producing electricity for Jacksonville in 1966 with oil as its only fuel. A 1977 plant expansion enabled the use of oil and natural gas fuels.
The barge, Doris Guenther, is moving the $400,000 shipment from Texas.
| WHAT: |
First delivery of solid fuel at JEA's Northside Generating Station |
| WHERE: |
4377 Heckscher Drive. JEA Northside Generating Station dock, fuel transport system, fuel storage domes. Take Heckscher Drive to just east of 9A to plant entrance on north side of road. |
| VISUALS: |
Pet coke being moved from barge to fuel conveyor system by continuous ship unloader. Fuel will travel through conveyors to the fuel storage domes where it will be stacked and stored. |
| NOTES: |
1. JEA will provide required safety equipment. Dress safely and comfortably for a construction site (comfortable shoes, no shorts, etc.). Units are scheduled to begin producing power later this year and begin commercial operation early in 2002.
2. JEA's fuel diversification strategies closely mirror the principles of a national energy policy supported by President Bush. The Northside Repowering Project demonstrates both by achieving superior environmental performance and economic, reliable power for our community. |
1 A recent survey by Wirthlin Worldwide showed 71% of Americans say they favor increasing domestic supplies of traditional energy sources.
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