US-based power provider Duke Energy announced that its 618MW coal-fired Edwardsport Generating Station has started commercial operations.
Edwardsport Generating Station located in Knox County in Indiana near Vincennes is an advanced technology coal gasification plant.
The facility uses advanced technology to gasify coal, remove pollutants, and burn cleaner gas to produce electricity and reduce environmental impact.
Duke Energy Indiana president Doug Esamann said coal has been used for electricity in the state for over a century now.
"But today’s air quality standards require us to use that fuel in a cleaner, more efficient way. Edwardsport turns coal into a cleaner-burning fuel and enables us to continue using an abundant local resource," Esamann added.
"Edwardsport replaces about 500 megawatts of older coal-fired generation that we recently retired or expect to retire soon due to new EPA regulations.
"The average age of coal-fired plants on our Indiana system is 45 years, and this facility is key to modernizing our system and filling the gap left by plant retirements."
The new coal powered plant is expected to generate electricity 10 times more than the former plant with 70% fewer emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and particulates combined.
Duke Energy has designed the plant to use excess steam, which otherwise was wasted to produce electricity and increase plant efficiency and output.