ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL
    BOARD
    August 24,
    1978
    WESTERN
    ILLINOIS POWER COOPERATIVE,
    )
    INC.,
    )
    Petitioner,
    v.
    )
    PCB 78—155
    ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY,
    )
    Respondent.
    OPINION
    AND
    ORDER OF THE
    BOARD
    (by Mr.
    Goodman):
    Western Illinois Power Cooperative, Incorporated
    (WIPCO)
    filed its Petition for Variance from the Board’s particulate
    and sulfur dioxide emissions standards,
    Rules
    203(g) (1) (B) and
    204(c) (1) (B) of Chapter
    2, on May
    31,
    1978.
    The Agency filed
    its Recommendation on July 24,
    1978.
    WIPCO waived its right
    to a hearing in this matter.
    The subject of this petition is WIPCO’s Pearl Station gene-
    rating plant located one—half mile south of Pearl,
    Illinois in
    Pike County.
    Pearl Station is a 22 MW coal-burning, steam turbine
    power plant consisting of one unit fired by four burners equipped
    with
    a mechanical multiple cyclone dust collector.
    WIPCO esti-
    mates that Pearl Station will consume 60,000 tons of coal in 1978
    having an average heat value of 11,200 BTU/lb. and an average ash
    and sulfur content of 12
    and 3.4,
    respectively.
    The Pearl
    Station serves approximately 35,000 rural customers in Central
    Illinois.
    On February 8,
    1978,
    the plant was closed for major
    repairs following a boiler explosion.
    The plant was expected to
    reopen around June
    1,
    1978.
    On October 1, 1975, WIPCO placed in operation a wet particu-
    late scrubber at its Pearl Station at a total cost in excess of
    $750,000.
    This scrubber was designed to meet the Board’s sulfur
    dioxide and particulate emission standards.
    Since it first began
    operations,
    the scrubber has been beset with operating and per-
    formance problems.
    Due to the acidic nature of the scrubber
    effluent, the stack has become corroded, and as much as 60
    of
    31—291
    —2—
    the lower section of the stack’s lining has been eroded away.
    Due to the deterioration of the stack,
    the scrubber has not
    been in operation.
    WIPCO is requesting this variance until
    modifications can be made to the scrubber and a new fiberglass-
    lined stack is built.
    The existing stack will only be used
    during boiler start-up/shutdown and when the scrubber is out of
    service for maintenance.
    The estimated cost of these modifica-
    tions
    is $300,000,
    and WIPCO has indicated its ability to meet
    a completion date of July
    1,
    1979.
    The Board agrees with the Petitioner that denial of this
    variance would cause undue hardship to WIPCO.
    This petition
    is
    the latest in a series of petitions which WIPCO has filed in
    regard to the installation of the wet scrubber.
    See, PCB 72-441,
    73—471,
    74—150,
    74—394,
    75—192 and 75—264.
    WIPCO has met the
    conditions of each of these variances.
    Pursuant to the Board’s
    Order in PCB 75-192, WIPCO conducted an ambient air test at Pearl
    Station in 1975, and the Board at that time found that no ambient
    air quality problems were being generated by the Pearl Station.
    The Agency notes
    in its Recommendation that present air quality
    in the vicinity of Pearl Station should be substantially the same.
    Since no environmental harm is expected,
    the Board finds that
    the granting of this variance
    is warranted.
    As the Agency pointed out in its Recommendation, this variance
    must be subject to the requirements of the Federal Clean Air Act.
    The Board notes that the conditions of this variance,
    as outlined
    below,
    are in complianc~with federal requirements.
    For this
    reason and the pendency of a decision in R75—5
    (Sulfur Dioxide
    Regulation Amendments),
    the Board has limited the variance from
    the sulfur dioxide emission standard to July 1,
    1979, or
    until
    final decision in P.75—5, whichever occurs first.
    This Opinion constitutes the findings of fact and conclusions
    of law of the Board in this matter.
    ORDER
    It is the Order of the Pollution Control Board that
    Petitioner be granted a variance from Rule 203(g) (1) (B)
    and
    204(c) (1) (B) of Chapter
    2:
    Air Pollution, subject to the
    following conditions:
    (1)
    That said variance from Rule 203(g) (1) (B)
    shall
    extend until July 1,
    1979;
    (2)
    That said variance from Rule 204(c) (1) (B)
    shall
    extend until July 1,
    1979 or until final decision
    in R75-5, whichever occurs first;
    31—292
    —3—
    (3)
    That mechanical dust collectors shall be operated
    as an interim control method for the duration of
    the variance;
    (4)
    That within 45 days of the adoption of this Order,
    the Western Illinois Power Cooperative, Incorporated
    shall execute and forward to the Illinois Environ-
    mental Protection Agency,
    2200 Churchill Road,
    Springfield, Illinois 62706
    a Certification of
    Acceptance and Agreement to be bound to all terms
    and conditions of this Order.
    The
    45 day period
    shall be held in abeyance during any period this
    matter is being appealed.
    The form of said certi-
    fication shall be as
    follows:
    CERTIFICATION
    I
    (We),
    having read and
    fully understanding the Order of the Illinois Pollution
    Control Board in PCB 78—155 hereby accept said Order and
    agree to be bound by all of the terms and conditions
    thereof.
    SIGNED___________________________
    TITLE___________________________
    DATE____________________________
    I, Christan L.
    Moffett, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution
    Control Board, hereby certify the above
    pinion and Order
    were adopi~edon the~q~’_dayof
    ,
    1978 by a
    vote of
    ~5
    Christan L. Moffe t~J’lerk
    Illinois Pollution C ntrol Board
    31—293

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