Kingston Fossil Plant
Balancing efficient power production with environmental protection
Electricity is produced at each of Kingstons nine coal-fired units by the process of heating water in a boiler to produce steam. Under extremely high pressure, the steam flows into a turbine that spins a generator to make electricity.
Kingston generates about 10 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity a year, enough to supply more than 700,000 homes. By 2010, TVA will have spent about $6 billion on emissions controls at its fossil-fuel plants to ensure that this power supply is generated as cleanly as possible, consistent with efficiency.
To reduce sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions, all nine units use a blend of low-sulfur coal. Scrubbers are being added to the units to further reduce SO2. This project will be completed in fiscal year 2010 at a cost of about $500 million. To reduce nitrogen oxides (NOX), all nine units operate with selective catalytic reduction systems, which reduce ozone-season NOX emissions by 90 percent. In addition, Units 1 through 4 and Unit 9 use combustion controls and boiler optimization. Units 5 through 8 use low-NOX burners. View more information about emissions at Kingston and the steps TVA is taking to control them.