The company said Illinois power plants is well-positioned to comply with two sets of new environmental regulations developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Hazardous Air Pollutants rule, which was released yesterday and will take effect in 2015, and the Cross State Air Pollution Rule, which is scheduled to take effect 1 January 2012.
Midwest Generation was established in Illinois upon acquiring six coal-fired power plants in the state in 1999.
It is a subsidiary of Edison Mission Group, which manages the competitive power generation business of Edison International.
The company has invested continuously in additional pollution controls at its plants.
Over the past several weeks, it has completed the installation of Selective Non-Catalytic Reduction systems to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), which can contribute to the formation of smog.
These new controls will enable Midwest Generation to comply with both State of Illinois and USEPA limits for NOx which are scheduled to take effect 1 January 2012.
As a result of this work, Midwest Generation will have reduced NOx emissions by 80% since 1999.
The company also has reduced emissions of sulfur dioxide, which can contribute to acid rain, by nearly 40% since 1999, and is set to meet new USEPA limits on those emissions that are scheduled to take effect in January of 2012.
