Appendix D 

Controls on Large Electric Utility 

Steam Generating Units 
Controls on Large Electric Utility Steam Generating Units 

“NOx Emissions from Electric Utility Steam Generating Units” has been codified in 

Georgia Rule 391-3-1-.02(2)(jjj), hereinafter referred to as Rule (jjj). Rule (jjj) became 

effective May 1, 1999 for various coal-fired units in the 1-hour ozone nonattainment area. 

Georgia EPD increased the stringency of the 1999 edition of this rule by revising the rule 

to include a reduced allowable NOx emission limits as well as an extension to the 

geographic area covered by the rule. The rule revision increased the stringency of the 

rule requirements for the ozone seasons beginning in 2000 and 2003. Beginning May 1, 

2003, there were two NOx emission standards under Rule (jjj) and these standards are 

referred to as the “5-plant” standard and the “7-plant” standard. 

Effective May 1, 2003, this air quality control rule limited NOx from coal-fired units with 

maximum heat inputs greater than 250 million British thermal units per hour (MMBtu/hr) 

from the affected units in the 13 county Atlanta ozone nonattainment area and in Bartow, 

Floyd, and Heard counties to new alternative limits and/or 0.13 lb/MMBtu heat input 

averaged over all affected units (referred to as the “5-plant” standard). Effective May 1, 

2003, Rule (jjj) also limited NOx from the same affected units in the 13 county Atlanta 

ozone nonattainment area, those in Bartow, Floyd, and Heard counties, and also units in 

Monroe and Putnam counties to new alternative limits and/or 0.20 lb/MMBtu heat input 

averaged over all affected units (referred to as the “7-plant” standard). These emission 

limits apply during the period from May 1 through September 30 of each year on a 30-

day rolling average basis. 

Georgia EPD is in the process of further rulemaking to increase the stringency of Rule 

(jjj), and the new requirements will become effective May 1, 2007. The “5-plant” 

standard will remain unchanged. the “7-plant” standard will be reduced from 0.20 

lb/MMBtu to 0.18 lb/MMBtu and/or new alternative unit limits. In addition, a third 

standard will apply beginning in the 2007 ozone season for Plant Scherer located in 

Monroe County. The facility-wide Plant Scherer standard will be set at 0.17 lb/MMBtu. 

As noted earlier, these emission limits will apply during the period from May 1 through 

September 30 of each year on a 30-day rolling average basis. 

Compliance with Rule (jjj) is determined, potentially, in two steps. First, each source is 

assigned (in an air quality permit) a specific alternative emission limit that will be a 30-

day rolling average limit. The source-specific alternative emission limits will be 

established such that the weighted average of all of the source-specific emission limits, 

using the maximum heat input capacity for each source, will equal the 30-day rolling 

average lb/MMBtu limit in the Rule (i.e., “5-plant” standard of 0.13 lb/MMBtu; “7-plant” 

standard before 2007 of 0.20 lb/MMBtu, etc.). If each source is complying with its 

specific alternative emission limit, compliance with Rule (jjj) is satisfied. If the actual 

emission rate from any source is greater than its alternative emission limit, then 

compliance shall be achieved by demonstrating that the actual Btu-weighted average 

emissions rate for all affected sources is less than the 30-day rolling average limit in the 

Rule. 

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Compliance with a 30-day rolling average alternative emission limit is determined by 

performing a weighted average, using the actual hourly source heat inputs (MMBtu/hr), 

of all of the hourly NOx emission rates (lb/MMBtu) for the periods of operation of the 

source during a 30 consecutive day source operational period. To determine compliance 

with a 30-day rolling average emission limit specified in the Rule (i.e., “5-plant” standard 

of 0.13 lb/MMBtu; “7-plant” standard before 2007 of 0.20 lb/MMBtu, etc.), you would 

perform a weighted average, using the actual source heat inputs (MMBtu/hr), of all the 

hourly NOx emission rates for all of the affected sources during a 30 consecutive day 

period. 

Georgia Power operates seven coal-fired power plants in the counties covered by Rule 

(jjj): Plants Bowen, Branch, Hammond, McDonough-Atkinson, Scherer, Wansley, and 

Yates. 

Plant Bowen includes four coal-fired units, identified as Bowen Units 1, 2, 3, and 4. 

Each of these units is equipped with combustion modifications consisting of Low NOx 

Burners and Overfire Air (OFA) as well as being equipped with its own dedicated 

selective catalytic reduction (SCR) equipment for the reduction of NOx emissions. 

Plant Branch includes four coal-fired units, identified as Branch Units 1, 2, 3, and 4. 

These units utilize Low NOx Burners (LNB) for the reduction of NOx emissions. 

Plant Hammond has four coal-fired units, identified as Hammond Units 1, 2, 3, and 4. 

Each unit is equipped with Low NOx Burners (LNB). In 2000, Plant Hammond received 

an air quality permit amendment to construct (June 15, 2000) and operate (September 18, 

2000) selective catalytic reduction (SCR) equipment for the reduction of NOx emissions 

on Hammond Unit 4 (SG04). 

Plant McDonough includes two coal-fired units, identified as McDonough Units 1 and 2. 

Each unit is equipped with Low NOx Burners (LNB) and Overfire Air. In addition, 

Georgia Power co-fires these units with natural gas during the ozone season to aid in 

complying with Georgia Rule (jjj). 

Plant Scherer includes four coal-fired units, identified as Scherer Units 1, 2, 3, and 4. 

Each unit is equipped with Low NOx Burners (LNB) and Overfire Air. Plant Scherer 

switched from eastern to western coal on Units 1 and 2 in 2003 and on Units 3 and 4 in 

2004 to reduce NOx emissions. 

Plant Wansley includes two coal-fired units, identified as Wansley Units 1 and 2. Each 

unit is equipped with Low NOx Burners (LNB) and Overfire Air (OFA). In 2000, Plant 

Wansley received an air quality permit amendment to construct (June 15, 2000) and 

operate (November 6, 2000) selective catalytic reduction (SCR) equipment for the 

reduction of NOx emissions on Wansley Units 1 and 2. 

Plant Yates includes seven coal-fired units and these are identified as Yates Units 1, 2, 3, 

4, 5, 6, and 7. Units 1, 4, 5, 6, 7 are equipped with Low NOx Burners (LNB) and 

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Overfire Air (OFA). In addition, Georgia power co-fires these units with natural gas 

during the ozone season to aid in complying with Georgia Rule (jjj). 

The information described above is presented in the following table for illustrative 

purposes. 

Plant/Unit NOx Base 

(lb/MMBtu) 

NOx Control 

Method 

NOx Target 

(lb/MMBtu) 

Bowen 1 0.43 LNB/OFA/SCR 0.07 

Bowen 2 0.44 LNB/OFA/SCR 0.07 

Bowen 3 0.44 LNB/OFA/SCR 0.07 

Bowen 4 0.44 LNB/OFA/SCR 0.07 

Branch 1 0.99 LNB 0.50 

Branch 2 0.72 LNB 0.50 

Branch 3 0.83 LNB 0.50 

Branch 4 0.83 LNB 0.50 

Hammond 1 0.86 LNB 0.42 

Hammond 2 0.86 LNB 0.42 

Hammond 3 0.86 LNB 0.42 

Hammond 4 0.43 LNB/OFA/SCR 0.07 

McDonough 1 0.30 LNB/OFA 0.26 

McDonough 2 0.30 LNB/OFA 0.26 

Scherer 1 0.52 OFA 

FUEL SWITCH 

0.30 

Scherer 2 0.53 OFA 

FUEL SWITCH 

0.30 

Scherer 3 0.30 OFA 

FUEL SWITCH 

0.15 

Scherer 4 0.32 OFA 

FUEL SWITCH 

0.20 

Wansley 1 0.40 LNB/OFA/SCR 0.07 

Wansley 2 0.43 LNB/OFA/SCR 0.07 

Yates 1 0.30 LNB 0.38 

Yates 2 0.30 N/A 0.38 

Yates 3 0.30 N/A 0.38 

Yates 4 0.30 LNB 0.33 

Yates 5 0.30 LNB 0.33 

Yates 6 0.30 LNB/OFA 0.26 

Yates 7 0.30 LNB/OFA 0.26 

LNB = Low NOx Burner 

OFA = Overfired Air 

FUEL SWITCH = Switch from eastern to western coal 

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