New CMA Report: Reducing Air Emissions
by Increasing KeySpan Electric Generating Capacity

January 26, 2005 - Re-powering of aging electric generating plants not only improves efficiency and capacity, it also vastly reduces the emissions of NOx, SO2, CO2 and particulates into the environment. These results and more are reported in a new study released today by the Center for Management Analysis (CMA) at the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University.

The report, "The Environmental Benefits of Re-powering KeySpan Electric Generating Plants in Meeting Future Demand," is based on an analysis of three existing KeySpan generating stations on Long Island, NY - Northport, Port Jefferson and Barrett.

The analysis included a comparison between emission rates for the existing KeySpan plants during 2003 and emission rates for re-powered units. The study showed that the NOx and SO2 emissions rates could be reduced by over 90% and CO2 emissions rates by more than 80%. Emissions of particulates could be reduced by over 80% as well, though the reduction would be less in the units that burned mostly natural gas during 2003.

In another comparison further demonstrating the environmental benefits of re-powering, the CMA projected just how much less emissions would have been in 2003 had the three stations in question been re-powered with unchanged output levels. CO2 emissions would have been reduced by over 6.8 million tons from the three stations combined; NOx emissions by over 8,700 tons; SO2 by 38,000 tons, and particulates by 2,000 tons.

Finally, the study examined the difference between actual emissions in 2003 and emissions for the three stations if all units were re-powered with output increased to maximum capacity for each. The results showed that with a total capacity increase of 4,200 MW for the three stations there still would be a decrease in emissions for NOx of over 7,000 tons, for SO2 over 37,000 tons, for CO2 over 2,500,000 tons and for particulates over 500 tons.

The CMA report also notes that the environmental benefits of re-powering are in part dependent on the availability of clean burning natural gas, and emphasizes the importance of initiatives to provide additional natural gas supplies to Long Island - through continued development of the Islander East Pipeline and possibly the Broadwater LNG Project, if safety concerns can be adequately addressed.

"It is remarkable that through re-powering it is conceivable to economically provide additional electric capacity of 4,200 MW, requiring no new sites for generation, and at the same time significantly improve Long Island's air quality," said Matthew C. Cordaro, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Management Analysis and primary author of the new report. "No other alternate source of electricity for this region could achieve this, and as such it should be imperative that re-powering assume the highest priority in the development of any electric supply strategy for Long Island."

The Center for Management Analysis is an academically based organization designed to serve the diverse needs of government, business and the community. The CMA is based at the College of Management at the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University in Brookville, NY.

For additional information, contact Dr. Cordaro at 516-299-3920 or mcordaro@liu.edu.