Document ID: EPA-HQ-OW-2008-0667-0087
Agency: epa
Document Type: Supporting & Related Material
Title: 
Posted Date: 2010-12-16T05:00Z

Site Description Report

	Sibley Plant

	33200 E. Johnson Road

Sibley, MO 

March 3, 2009

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
site-specific 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.

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.

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 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.  

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 ¼” 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.   

Impingement and Entrainment Information

KCP&L GMO representatives did not provide any information on
impingement, entrainment or source water body characterization for this
site.  

Cooling Tower Feasibility

KCP&L GMO representatives indicated that Sibley has available land for
cooling tower placement, but that it is located about ½ mile from the
site.    

Debris Handling

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

Repowering/Future Uses

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

Cooling Ponds

	

Sibley does not have any cooling ponds.

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.

316(a)

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

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.  

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.  

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