October 8, 2015

Placer County APCD 250 - 1 Rules and Regulations

RULE 250 STATIONARY GAS TURBINES

Adopted 10-17-94

(Amended 10-08-15)

CONTENTS

100GENERAL

101 PURPOSE

102 APPLICABILITY

11003 EXEMPTION - LABORATORY, FIREFIGHTING/FLOOD CONTROL, AND PIPELINE 

UNITS

10411 EXEMPTION - EMERGENCY STANDBY AND SMALL UNITS

200DEFINITIONS

201 BARCT

202 CHEMICAL PROCESSING GAS TURBINE UNIT

203 201 COMPLIANCE LIMIT

2042 CONTROL SYSTEM OPERATING PARAMETERS

2035 EMERGENCY STANDBY UNIT

2046 HHV

MAJOR SOURCE

2075 LHVNOx EMISSIONS

2086 PERFORMANCE TESTINGMEASURED NOx EMISSIONS CONCENTRATION

2097 NOx EMISSIONS (NOx)

210 PIPELINE GAS TURBINES

2110 POWER AUGMENTATION

212108 PUBLIC SERVICE UNIT

209132 RATING

21430 SELECTIVE CATALYTIC REDUCTION (SCR)

2154 STATIONARY GAS TURBINE

SELECTIVE CATALYTIC REDUCTION (SCR)

21651 STATIONARY GAS TURBINESTARTUPTHERMAL STABILIZATION PERIOD

2162 SHUTDOWNSHUTDOWN

213 STARTUP

300STANDARDS

301 LIMITATIONS

302 STARTUP/SHUTDOWN COMBINED CYCLE UNITS

303 STARTUP/SHUTDOWN COMBINED SIMPLE CYCLE UNITS

400ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS

401 COMPLIANCE SCHEDULE

402 EMISSION CONTROL PLAN

403 EXEMPT UNITS AND EMERGENCY STANDBY UNITS

500 MONITORING AND RECORDKEEPING

501 MONITORING

502 RECORDKEEPING

503 TEST METHODS
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Rules and Regulations 250 - 2 Placer County APCD

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October 8, 2015

Placer County APCD 250 - 3 Rules and Regulations

100 GENERAL

101 PURPOSE: The purpose of this rule is to limit NOx emissions from stationary gas 

turbines. in conformance with BARCT determinations approved by the California Air 

Resources Board to meet the requirements of the California Clean Air Act.

102 APPLICABILITY: Except as provided in Sections 110 and 111, : Tthis rule shall apply to 

all stationary gas turbines, 0.3 megawatt (MW) and larger.

110 03 EXEMPTION -– LABORATORY ,OR FIREFIGHTING/FLOOD CONTROL, AND 

PIPELINE UNITS: The provisions of this rule with the exception of Section 402.3 shall 

not apply to the operation of stationary gas turbines used under the following conditions:

110043.1 Laboratory units used in research and testing for the advancement of 

gas turbine technology.

`

104310.2 Units operated exclusively for firefighting and/or flood control.

110.3 Pipeline gas turbines provided that the owner/operator demonstrates to the 

satisfaction of the Air Pollution Control Officer that water or steam injection, 

selective catalytic reduction, or any other emission control technology is not 

technologically feasible, cost effective or creates adverse environmental impacts 

such as those associated with the use, transport, or disposal of supplies such as 

water and ammonia.

110.4 Chemical processing gas turbine units.

11104 EXEMPTION - EMERGENCY STANDBY AND SMALL UNITS: The provisions of 

this rule with the exception of Sections 402.3, 403, and 502.5 502.5 shall not apply to the 

operation of stationary gas turbines used under the following conditions:

11104.1 Emergency standby units demonstrated to operate less than 200 hours per 

calendar year.

11104.2 Units of less than 4 MW operating less than 877 hours per calendar year.

105 EXEMPTION – LOW USE UNITS: The monitoring provisions of Section 501.1.3 shall 

not apply to low use units operating less than 877 hours per year and installed prior to 

October 8, 2015.

105 EXEMPTION – EXISTING SIMPLE CYCLE UNITS: The provisions of Section 302,

Startup and Shutdown shall not apply to simple cycle units in operation prior to October 

9, 2015 and operating less than 877 hours per year.

200 DEFINITIONS

201 BARCT: "Best Available Retrofit Control Technology" as defined in Section 40406 of the 

California Health and Safety Code as an "emission limitation that is based on the 

maximum degree of reduction achievable, taking into account environmental, energy, and 

economic impacts by each class or category of source".

202 CHEMICAL PROCESSING GAS TURBINE UNIT: A stationary gas turbine that vents its 

exhaust gases into the operating stream of a chemical process.
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Rules and Regulations 250 - 4 Placer County APCD

203 201 COMPLIANCE LIMIT: Allowable NOx emissions expressed in parts per 

million by volume (ppmv).

2042 CONTROL SYSTEM OPERATING PARAMETERS: Operating parameters that the Air 

Pollution Control Officer deems necessary to analyze when determining compliance, 

such as ammonia and exhaust flow rates and exhaust gas temperature for SCR; of 

humidity, water injection rate, exhaust gas flow rate, and temperature for water injection.

2053 EMERGENCY STANDBY UNIT: A stationary gas turbine that operates only as a 

mechanical or electrical power source for a facility when the primary power source has 

been rendered inoperable due to a failure beyond the reasonable control of the operator, 

except due to power interruption pursuant to a voluntary interruptible power supply 

agreement. Electricity generated by such a unit cannot be sold.

2064 HHV: The higher heating value of a fuel.MAJOR SOURCE: For the 

purpose of this rule a major source is defined as a stationary source with a potential to 

emit exceeding: 25 tons per year of nitrogen oxides, 25 tons per year of volatile organic 

compounds, 100 tons per year of sulfur dioxide, 100 tons per year of carbon monoxide, 

100 tons per year of PM10, or 100 tons per year of a regulated air pollutant. 

207 LHV: The lower heating value of the fuel.

2085 MEASURED NOx EMISSIONS CONCENTRATION: The concentration of NOx 

emissions corrected to International Standards Organization (ISO) standard conditions:

NOx = (NOxobs)(Pref/Pobs)

0.5(288o

/Tamb)

1.53[e19(Hobs-0.00633)]

Where:

Nox = Emissions of NOx at 15 percent oxygen and ISO standard conditions on a dry basis, 

ppm.

Noxobs = Measured NOx emissions corrected to 15 percent oxygen on a dry basis, ppm.

Pref = Standard reference pressure, 14.696 psia.

Pobs = Measured site ambient absolute pressure, psia.

Hobs = Measured humidity of ambient air, pounds water per pound dry air.

e = Transcendental constant (2.718).

Tamb = Measured temperature of ambient air, degrees K.

or an alternate correlation that corrects to ISO standard conditions and is approved by the Air 

Pollution Control Officer.

209 NOx EMISSIONS (NOox): The sum of nitric oxides and nitrogen dioxide in the exhaust gas 

stream.

210 PIPELINE GAS TURBINES: A stationary gas turbine used to transport gases or liquids 

in a pipeline.

211006 PERFORMANCE TESTING: Performance testing for stationary source air emissions is 

also known as stack testing or source testing. Performance testing is the measurement of

air emissions. 

207 POWER AUGMENTATION: An increase in the gas turbine shaft output and/or the 

decrease in gas turbine fuel consumption by the addition of energy recovered from 

exhaust heat.

212108 PUBLIC SERVICE UNIT: A gas turbine used to generate electricity for sale or for 

use in serving the public.
October 8, 2015

Placer County APCD 250 - 5 Rules and Regulations

210932 RATING: The continuous megawatt (MW) rating or mechanical equivalent by a 

manufacturer for gas turbine(s) without power augmentation.

210143 SELECTIVE CATALYTIC REDUCTION (SCR): A post combustion control technology 

that utilizes ammonia injected into the exhaust gas stream where it reduces NOx to 

molecular nitrogen in the presence of a catalyst.

211

2145 STATIONARY GAS TURBINE: Any gas turbine system that is gas and/or liquid 

fueled with or without power augmentation. This unit is either attached to a foundation at 

a facility or is portable equipment operated at a specific facility for more than 90 days in 

any 12-month period. Two or more gas turbines powering one shaft shall be treated as 

one unit.

21256 SHUTDOWN: The time necessary to cease operation of a gas turbine under load 

conditions. The period begins when the shutdown command is given to the gas turbine. 

This time shall not exceed one (1) hour.

STARTUPTHERMAL STABILIZATION PERIOD: The two hour start-up time necessary to bring the 

heat recovery steam generator a unit to the normal operating proper temperature, not to 

exceed two (2) hours. If the unit fails to synchronize online properly an additional period 

of two (2) hours for simple cycle and six (6) hours for combined cycle units is allowed.

2137 STARTUP: The time necessary to bring the gas turbine to the design rating not to 

exceed two (2) hours for simple cycle and six (6) hours for combined cycle gas turbine 

power plants. 

SHUTDOWN: The time needed to shut down the unit.

300 STANDARDS

301 LIMITATIONS: The owner or operator of any stationary gas turbine unit shall not operate 

such unit under load conditions, excluding the thermal stabilizationstartup or shutdown

period which results in the measured NOx emissions concentration exceeding the 

compliance limit listed below, averaged over 15 minutesone (1) hour based on four 

consecutive 15-minute averages:
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Rules and Regulations 250 - 6 Placer County APCD

Unit Size Compliance limit

NOx, ppm @ 15% O2

Megawatt Rating (MW) GasA OilB

Units rated 0.3 to Less Than 2.9 MW

OR

and Units Greater Than or Equal to 4 MW That 

Operate Less Than 877 Hour/Year

42 65

2.9 to Less Than 10 MW 25 x EFF/25 65

10.0 MW and Over with SCR 9 x EFF/25 25 x EFF/25

10.0 MW and Over Without SCR 15 x EFF/25 42 x EFF/25

A. GAS INCLUDES NATURAL, DIGESTER, AND LANDFILL GASES.

B. OIL INCLUDES KEROSINE, JET, AND DISTILLATE. THE SULFUR CONTENT OF THE OIL SHALL BE 

LESS THAN 0.05%.

Where: EFF(efficiency) is the higher of the following:

301.1 EFF = 3412 x 100% 

 AHR

[where: AHR = Actual Heat Rate at HHV of Fuel (BTU/KW-HR)], which is the demonstrated 

percent efficiency of the gas turbine only as calculated without consideration of any downstream 

energy recovery from the actual heat rate, (BTU/KW-HR) or 1.34 (BTU/HP-HR); corrected to the 

HHV (higher heating value) of the fuel and ISO conditions, as measured at peak load for that 

facility, or

301.2 EFF = MRE x LHV

 HHV

[where: MRE = Manufacturer's Rated Efficiency with Air Pollution Equipment at LHV.], which is 

the manufacturer's continuous rated percent efficiency of the gas turbine with air pollution 

equipment after correction from LHV to HHV of the fuel at peak load for that facility.

302 STARTUP/SHUTDOWN COMBINED CYCLE UNITS: The NOx emissions shall meet 

at least one of the following averaged over the duration of the startup or shutdown period:

:

302.1 70 ppm @ 15% O2 ?? pfor turbines fired on gas or,

302.2 0.16 pounds per MMBtu/hr input dfor turbines fired on gas or oil or,

302.3 226 ppm @ 15% O2 for turbines fired on oilliquid fuels.

303 STARTUP/SHUTDOWN SIMPLE CYCLE UNITS: The NOx emissions shall be kept to a 

minimum by use of the following:

303.1 Manufacturer’s recommendation for operation during startup and shutdown.

303.2 Injection of water as soon as reasonably possible

303.3 Maintaining proper air to fuel ratios

400 ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS
October 8, 2015

Placer County APCD 250 - 7 Rules and Regulations

401 COMPLIANCE SCHEDULE: Owners or operators of all gas turbines existing on the 

date of adoption and subject to the provisions of this rule shall comply with the 

applicable provisions of Section 301 in accordance with the following schedule:

401.1 No later than May 31, 1995, demonstrate final compliance.

402 EMISSION CONTROL PLAN: The owner or operator of any existing stationary gas 

turbine shall submit to the Air Pollution Control Officer for approval an Emissions 

Control Plan of all actions, including a schedule of increments of progress, which will 

be taken to meet or exceed requirements of the applicable emissions limitations in 

Section 301 and compliance schedule in Section 401.

402.1 The Emission Control Plan shall contain, as a minimum, a list that provides the 

following for each gas turbine subject to the provisions of this rule:

a. Permit or identification number;

b. Name of gas turbine manufacturer;

c. Model designation;

d. Rated shaft power output (MW);

e. Type of liquid fuel and/or type of gaseous fuel;

f. Fuel consumption (cubic feet of gas or gallons of liquid) for the previous one-year 

period;

g. Hours of operation in the previous one-year period;

h. Heat rate (BTU/KW-HR), corrected to the HHV for each type of fuel (liquid/gas), and

I. HHV for each fuel.

402.2 A listing of all gas turbines required to be controlled, identifying the type of 

emission control to be applied to each gas turbine along with documentation showing 

existing emissions of oxides of nitrogen.

402.3 Support documentation for any units exempt under the provisions of Sections 

110 and 111.

403 EXEMPT UNITS AND EMERGENCY STANDBY UNITS: Exempt units and 

emergency standby units shall comply with the following:

4013.1 The owner or operator of any unit listed below shall notify the Air Pollution 

Control Officer in writing within seven days if the 877 hour-per-year limit is 

applicable and was exceeded. A public service unit operating during a state of 

emergency, when such emergency is declared by proclamation of the Governor 

of the State of California and when the unit is located in the specific geographical 

location identified in the proclamation, shall be excluded from the hour-per-year 

limit. If the hour-per-year limit is exceeded, the exemption shall be permanently 

withdrawn. Within 30 days after the exceedance, the owner or operator shall 

submit aan application for Authority to Construct that details a plan to meet the 

applicable limits specified in Section 301 of this rule within two years. Included in 

this application, the owner or operator shall submit an emission control plan that 

includes a schedule of increments of progress for the installation of the required 
October 8, 2015

Rules and Regulations 250 - 8 Placer County APCD

control equipment. This schedule shall be subject to the review and approval of 

the Air Pollution Control Officer.

a.401.1.1 Any unit smaller than 4 MW or emergency standby unit exempt 

under Sections 110 and 111.

b.401.1.2 Any unit equal to or greater than 4 MW.

500 MONITORING AND RECORDKEEPING

501 MONITORING: The owner or operator of any stationary gas turbine subject to the 

provisions of this rule shall perform the following actions:

501.1 Install, operate and maintain in calibration equipment, as approved by the Air 

Pollution Control Officer , that continuously measures and records the following:

a.501.1.1 Control system operating parameters;

b501.1.2. Elapsed time of operation; and

c.5-01.1.3 For units of 10 MW or greater that operated more than 4000 

hours per year over the last three years prior to July 13, 1994, the 

exhaust gas NOx concentrations on a continuous basis corrected to ISO 

conditions at 15 percent oxygen on a dry basis. The NOx monitoring 

system shall meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

requirements as specified in 40 CFR Part 60, App. B, Specification. 2 or 

other systems that are acceptable to the EPA.

501.2 Performance Testing: Performance testing shall be conducted annually for 

major sources of NOx and at least every three years for non-major sources of 

NOx.

502 RECORDKEEPING:

502.1 All records shall be available for inspection at any time for a period of five (5) 

years for major source and two (2) years for non-major sources.. Major sources 

are those facilities that emit more than twenty-five (25) tons of NOx.

502.2 Submit to the Air Pollution Control Officer information demonstrating that the 

system has data gathering and retrieval capability.

502.3 Submit to the Air Pollution Control Officer, prior to issuance of a Permit to 

Operate, information correlating the control system operating parameters to the 

associated NOx output. This information may be used by the Air Pollution Control 

Officer to determine compliance when there is no continuous emission 

monitoring system for NOx available or when the continuous emission monitoring 

system is not operating properly.

502.4 Provide performancesource test information annually regarding the exhaust gas 

NOx concentration at ISO conditions corrected to 15 percent oxygen on a dry 

basis., and the demonstrated percent efficiency (EFF) of the turbine unit.

502.5 Maintain a gas turbine operating log that includes, on a daily basis, the actual 

Pacific Standard Time start-up and stop time, total hours of operation, type and 

quantity of fuel used (liquid/gas). This information shall be available for inspection 

at any time from the date of entry.
October 8, 2015

Placer County APCD 250 - 9 Rules and Regulations

502.6 Maintain a gas turbine operating log for units exempt under Section 111 that 

includes, on a daily basis, the actual Pacific Standard Time start-up and stop 

time, total hours of operation, and cumulative hours of operation to date for the 

calendar year. This information shall be available for inspection at any time for 

two years from the date of entry and submitted to the Air Pollution Control Officer 

at the end of each calendar year in a manner and form approved by the Air 

Pollution Control Officer.

503 TEST METHODS:

503.1 Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx): Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx) emissions shall be 

determined in accordance with EPA Method 20.

503.2 Oxygen (O2): Oxygen (O2) concentrations shall be determined in accordance 

with EPA Method 3A.

503.3 HHV and LHV: HHV and LHV shall be determined in accordance with ASTM D240-87, Standard Test Method for Heat of Combustion of Liquid Hydrocarbon 

Fuels by Bomb Calorimeter, or D-2382-88, Standard Test Method for Heat of 

Combustion of Hydrocarbon Fuels by Bomb Calorimeter (High-precision 

Method), for distillate fuels, and ASTM D-3588-91, Standard Practice for 

Calculating Heat Value, Compressibility Factor, and Relative Density (Specific 

Gravity) of Gaseous Fuels, ASTM D-1826-88, Standard Test Method for Calorific 

(Heating) Value of Gases in Natural Gas Range by Continuous Recording 

Calorimeter, or ASTM D-1945-81, Standard Method for Analysis of Natural Gas 

by Gas Chromatography, for gaseous fuels.