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Site Description Report

Sibley Plant

33200 E. Johnson Road

Sibley, MO 

March 3, 2009

1.0 Background and Objectives

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is in the process of developing 

316(b) cooling water intake structure requirements that reflect the best technology

available (BTA) for minimizing adverse environmental impact for all existing 

power plants and manufacturing facilities. As part of this process, EPA staff is 

visiting electric generators and manufacturers to better understand the cooling 

water intake structure (CWIS) technologies in use at facilities, including the sitespecific characteristics of each facility and how these affect the selection and 

performance of CWIS technologies. EPA is also visiting facilities to better 

understand cooling water use and specific issues or technologies that can affect 

316(b) compliance. As part of its site visit to the Lake Road Plant, EPA also 

collected information on KCP&L Greater Missouri Operations Company’s

(KCP&L GMO) Sibley Plant.

2.0 Facility Description

The Sibley Plant is the largest generation facility owned and operated by KCP&L

GMO which operates under the KCP&L brand name. See Section 10.0. Sibley is

located on the Missouri River in Jackson County approximately 20 miles east of 

Kansas City. It occupies approximately 100 acres next to the town of Sibley, Mo

and employs approximately 135 people.

Cooling and process water withdrawals from and wastewater discharges to the 

Missouri River are regulated under NPDES permit number MO0004871 which 

expired on November 2, 2005. Sibley submitted its NPDES permit application in 

a timely manner and is awaiting renewal of its permit by the state.

3.0 Electricity Generation and Transmission

The Sibley Plant has three coal-fired boilers with a total generating capacity of 

about 466 MW. Units 1 and 2 each have a generating capacity of 51 MW while 

Unit 3 has a generating capacity of approximately 364 MW. 

The fuel source for the vast majority of power generation at Sibley is a 

combination (75%/25%) of low/high BTU, low sulfur coal from the Powder River 

Basin in Wyoming and Colorado. In addition, according to a June 2004 press 

release, Sibley also receives waste tires that have been shredded by independent 

companies to be used as a fuel source at this plant. Since 1997, Sibley has burned 
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nearly 138 million pounds of scrap tires. According to the press release, a 

maximum of 5% of Sibley’s power generation is from this alternative fuel source. 

4.0 Cooling Water System and Intake Structure

Sibley has two CWISs that provide once-through cooling water for its generating 

units: one for Units 1/2 and one for Unit 3. The CWISs are located in a deep 

channel on the outer bend of the Missouri River and fitted with grizzlies (4 x 4s). 

The combined CWIS for Units 1 and 2 has three standard (i.e., coarse mesh 3/8”) 

traveling screens. In addition, four circulating water pumps provide a design 

intake flow per screen of 22,500 gpm (total of 97.2 mgd) of cooling water to the 

generating units. The through-screen velocity is 1.4 feet per second (fps). 

The CWIS for Unit 3 has four 1⁄4” dual flow screens. Four circulating water 

pumps provide a design intake flow of 45,000gpm of cooling water per screen to 

the generating unit (total of 259.2 mgd). The through screen velocity is 1.4 fps. 

Facility representatives noted they are not aware of any difference in O&M 

associated with the two different screen types at this facility.

Sibley inspects its traveling screens annually. It also cleans and rebuilds one 

screen annually during its routine maintenance outage period. Approximately

every 2 years (during a regularly scheduled outage), Sibley will clean the silt out 

of the CWIS. 

5.0 Impingement and Entrainment Information

KCP&L GMO representatives did not provide any information on impingement, 

entrainment or source water body characterization for this site. 

6.0 Cooling Tower Feasibility

KCP&L GMO representatives indicated that Sibley has available land for cooling 

tower placement, but that it is located about 1⁄2 mile from the site. 

7.0 Debris Handling

As with other facilities located on the Missouri River, debris can be significant at 

Sibley. 

8.0 Repowering/Future Uses

Sibley has no short term plans for re-powering or upgrading. 
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9.0 Cooling Ponds

Sibley does not have any cooling ponds.

10.0 Ownership

Sibley is owned by KCP&L GMO a subsidiary of Great Plains Energy. Kansas 

City Power and Light Company is also a subsidiary of Great Plains Energy. Both 

subsidiaries operate under the KCP&L brand name.

11.0 316(a)

KCP&L GMO representatives did not provide any information related to 316(a) 

for this site. 

12.0 Ash Handling

Bottom ash (slag) generated at Sibley is beneficially used. Fly ash that is not 

beneficially used is sluiced with river water to a 15 acre ash pond. Sibley cleans 

out its ash pond every few years and transfers the waste material to an on-site 

landfill. 

13.0 Air Emissions Controls

Sibley was recently equipped with a new SNCR and SCR. Facility

representatives noted that the some of the new equipment is located in the former 

employee parking lot.