Dan E. Karn Generating Plant

The Dan E. Karn Power Plant is a multi-fuel power station located in Essexville, Michigan. It is adjacent to the location of the former J.C. Weadock Power Plant Power Plant, which closed in 2016.

Dan E. Karn Power Plant
View from across the Saginaw River of the Dan E. Karn Power Plant (2020)
CountryUnited States
LocationEssexville, Michigan
Coordinates43.6445672°N 83.8400709°W / 43.6445672; -83.8400709
StatusBeing decommissioned
Commission dateNovember 1959
Owner(s)Consumers Energy
Thermal power station
Primary fuelNatural gas
Tertiary fuelCoal
Power generation
Units operational4
Nameplate capacity1,946.3 MW
External links
CommonsRelated media on Commons

The primary fuels for the Karn facility are coal and natural gas. The facility's owner, Consumers Energy, has pledged to close the coal-fired units in 2023.

View of the Dan E. Karn Power Plant from across the Saginaw River (August 2020)

History

Unit 1, a coal-fired system, was opened in November 1959,[1][2][3] and dedicated in June 1960.[4] Combined with the adjacent J.C. Weadock Power Plant Power Plant, it was known as the Karn/Weadock Generating Complex.[5] The combined complex occupied 2,400 acres of land.[5]

Unit 2, another coal-fired system, was opened in March 1961.[1][2][3]

Unit 3, a gas-fired system, was opened in January 1975 followed by another gas-fired system, unit 4, in September 1977.[3]

In 1960, it was one of four plants providing approximately 95% of Consumer Energy's electricity.[5]

The complex acquired an American Locomotive Company RS-1 locomotive in 1968, which it later donated to the Sagianw Railway Museum.[5] The train was used to transport coal to the coal-fired units 1 and 2.[2]

From 1990 to 1997, an onsite walleye rearing pond raised approximately 5,000 fingerlings which were released in the nearby Saginaw Bay.[5]

From 1991 until 2010 the complex was certified by the Wildlife Habitat Council for stewardship of its land.[5]

In 2004, the nitrogen oxide emissions at units 1 and 2 were reduced by 83% by installing selective catalytic reduction (SCR) equipment.[6] The first SCR equipment was installed on unit 2 in 2003, followed by unit 1 in 2004.[6] The total cost for both installations was approximately US$120,000,000 (equivalent to $185,919,662 in 2022).[6]

From 2006 until 2010 the complex received the Clean Corporate Citizen designation from the then Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (now the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy).[5] It also received from the department membership in the Michigan Business Pollution Prevention Partnership from 2006 to 2012.[5]

In 2007, Consumers Energy announced a $2.3 billion plan to build a coal-fired plant at the complex.[7] The plan was formally cancelled in 2010.[7]

In 2008, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service installed a bald eagle nesting platform on the north side of the facility near Windy Point at the mouth of the Saginaw River.[5]

A replacement of the complex's seawall and freighter dock was completed in 2009.[5]

The neighboring power plant, J.C. Weadock power plant, was taken offline in April 2016.[1]

Consumers Energy announced in March 2022 that under an agreement with the Michigan Attorney General, they would close the two coal-fired units, units 1 and 2, in 2023.[1][8] This will leave units 3 and 4 as the only operational units left, both of which utilize natural gas and fuel oil.[1] Those units are scheduled to operate until May 2031.[9]

Namesake

Daniel Earl Karn, born April 29, 1890, was president of Consumers Energy (then Consumers Power) from 1951 until his retirement in 1960.[10] He also served on the company's board of directors from 1933 until 1967.[10] He died on June 20, 1969.[10]

Technology

The Karn facility has four units, units 1 and 2 which are coal-fired, and units 3 and 4 which are natural gas-fired.[1][2][9]

The coal-fired stations, units 1 and 2, can each generate 272 megawatts (MW) of electricity.[3] Units 3, a gas-fired station, can generate 692.5 MW of electricity. Unit 4, another gas-fired station, can generate 709.8 MW of electricity.[3] As of January 2023, the plant has the capacity to generate 1,946.3 MW of electricity.[3]

When unit 1 was dedicated in 1960, it had 23 switches with high momentary current ratings.[4]

Units 1 and 2 use a tangential firing type for the coal while units 3 and 4 use an opposed wall firing type for the gas.[2]

Unit number Date opened Capacity Technology Primary fuel type Notes
1 1959 272 MW Conventional steam coal Coal [1][2][4][9][3]
2 1961 272 MW Conventional steam coal Coal [1][2][4][9][3][11]
3 1975 692.5 MW Natural gas steam turbine Natural gas [1][2][9][3]
4 1977 709.8 MW Natural gas steam turbine Natural gas [1][2][9][3]

Emissions and environment

The Karn plant is operated under permits from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. According to that department's Michigan Air Emissions Reporting System Annual Pollutant Totals,[12] in 2020 the facility emitted:[13][14]

  • CO (Carbon monoxide) - 285.97 tons (2020)
  • SO
    x     (sulfur oxides) - 629.44 tons (2020)
  • NOx (nitrogen oxides) - 663.02 (2020)
  • PM10 (particulates) - 431.3 tons (2020)

See also

References
  1. Johnson, Bob (June 13, 2018). "Last coal plant on the Saginaw Bay goes offline in 2023". MLive. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  2. "Retrofit Costs for SO2 and NOX Control Options at 200 Coal-Fired Plants. Volume 3. Site Specific Studies for Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota". US EPA. 1990. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  3. "Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory (based on Form EIA-860M as a supplement to Form EIA-860) - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)". www.eia.gov. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  4. "New disconnect switch with exceptional momentary rating". Electrical Engineering. 79 (9): 778–779. September 1960. doi:10.1109/EE.1960.6432841. ISSN 2376-7804. S2CID 51674043.
  5. "Cobb, Weadock and Whiting: Celebrating a legacy of energy, people and community". Consumers Energy.
  6. "Consumers announces major drop in emissions". Midland Daily News. October 22, 2004. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  7. Knake, Lindsay (October 31, 2013). "Bay County's Karn-Weadock power plant timeline: Operations began in 1940". mlive. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  8. "Consumers Energy to exit coal-fired generation in 2025 under agreement with Michigan AG, others". Utility Dive. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  9. Van Wyk, Kayleigh (July 8, 2022). "Consumers gets approval for energy plan settlement agreement". Grand Rapids Business Journal. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  10. "Obituary for DAN E. KARN". Traverse City Record-Eagle. June 23, 1969. p. 17. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  11. "Consumers sees all-time record at plant's Unit 2". Midland Daily News. October 25, 2006. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  12. "EGLE - Michigan Air Emissions Reporting System (MAERS) - Annual Pollutant Totals Query Results". www.deq.state.mi.us. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  13. "EGLE - Michigan Air Emissions Reporting System (MAERS) - Annual Pollutant Totals Query Results". www.deq.state.mi.us. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  14. "EGLE - Michigan Air Emissions Reporting System (MAERS) - Emissions Query Facility Information". www.deq.state.mi.us. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
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