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Power Plant to Offset Portion of CO2 Emission
Chehalis Power
last month released its proposal to offset carbon dioxide (CO2
) emissions associated with expansion of the company’s proposed Chehalis Generation Facility
. Under the plan the company will spend 57 cents per ton to offset the CO2
emitted when the plant operates above 460 megawatts of capacity, the level originally permitted by the Washington Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council
(EFSEC
) in 1997. EFSEC required the company to develop the CO2
offset plan when the agency approved the plant’s amended permit for expansion to 520 megawatts in 2001.
Most analysts put the price of offsetting one ton of CO2
at two to five dollars, but 57 cents is the cost established by Oregon in 1997, the first state in the U.S. to regulate CO2
emissions from new power plants and the only state with an across-the-board standard. Oregon recently increased its cost per ton by 50 percent to 85 cents, the maximum increase allowed under statute.
Offset projects would vary and include carbon sequestration projects, such as tree planting, and investments in energy efficiency and new sources of renewable energy. Research and development of the offset projects would be handled by the company in consultation with its community advisory board and then approved by EFSEC. Preference would be given to local projects. EFSEC hasn't yet taken action to approve, modify or deny the proposal.
—
Mark Glyde