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The Coal Plant

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in Tallahassee

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Tallaman Unincorporated Area

Tallaman

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Being one diminsional is not something to fight for.

Has anyone considered the option of a plant with multiple generators and fuel sources? I'm not sure how many people realize that the Crystal River "nuclear" plant is actually a plant with one nuclear and three coal fired generators. A train regularly unloads tons of coal in an automated process for the coal fired turbines. I'm no expert at any of this, but I believe most people think Crystal River uses only its nuclear reactor as a power source, which leads me to the point - coal is cleaner and more available than most people realize. I think it presents an interesting option to Tallahassee: multiple generators and fuel sources can provide multiple-dimensions that could show a lot of fore-thought. Seems like we're on a one-dimensional bandwagon.

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Florida Megalopolis

Florida

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Try ONLY alternative.

Ha!

Biomass:

One way to diversity fuel sources is to generate electricty by burning woody biomass. According to a University of Florida study, Leon County is one off the top-rated counties in the Southeast for potential power generation from woody biomass. Data from the Forest Inventory Analysis of the U.S. Forest Service show that there are 1.8 million acres within 50 miles of Tallahassee, with enough woody biomass to produce 2,750 megwatt years of electricity.

Woody biomass combusion emits no sulfur, 70% less nitrogenoxide, 91% less Mercury than coal per unit of electricty produced, it does not promote global warming because for each batch of biomass that is burned, releasing CO2, another batch is grown to soak it up making this approach, "carbon neutral".

At least two already-existing local plants could be utilized for this effort and come online relatively soon. The cost of production and distribution for biomass is $94-$99 per Magawatt , according to figures provided by Monticello Biomass producer, compared to $106 for the North Florida Power Project.

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Florida Megalopolis

Florida

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Solar Hot Water

Lakeland has proved that the electricity used to heat water can be replaced by thermal solar water heaters that provide steady revenue to the city, paying for themselves in roughly 8 years, which would be about the time the NFPP would be coming online.

Adapting this program to Tallahassee's climate results in electric generation that costs $9 less per megawatt for production and distribution that the NFPP coal plant. If we were to launch a 20 year program to install 100 solar water heaters the first year, 200 the 2nd year, and 300 the 3rd year up to 800 in the 8th year the city would end up with 14,300 solar water heaters that would reduce summer peak demany by 7.3 megawatts and winter peak demand by 14.6 megawatts.

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Florida Megalopolis

Florida

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Solar Electricity

To promote the development of solar generated energy, we could do the most for the least money by follwing the example of the Chealan County electric utility in the State of Washington. Chelan County developed a program that relies on free-market supply and demand principles tomake solar-generated energy cost effective. Rather than giving rebates or lans, contributions to a voluntary fun are divided among solar energy produces once a year, with each producer recievin a payment based on tyhe number of kilowatts of energy they have produced. In the 2 1/2 years since the program was implemented, $12 was invested in solar generation by homeowners and businesses for every $1 collected, making Chelan County the leader in solar energy in Washinton State.

The direct local investment with a visable, tangible result would have a lot more appeal in Tallahassee than Tallahassee's convoluted green tag program - and a lot more energy return for the dollar.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Im not saying I'm anti-coal, I'm only saying I want to see what else is out there before I vote to committ $400 Million of our future revenues to Coal.

I think this is a decision, important enough for us all to take our time and keep our options open.

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TD Burg

TD

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This past weekend... speaking of smelly exhaust, on Capital Circle NE near Mahan that Cement plant was putting out some terrible fumes and smoke... the air was even cloudy for about a mile. That activity should be investigated.

yea, it looks smelly white exhaust

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celebrated Whistle-Stop

celebrated

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I stumbled upon this article discussing Tallahassee's electric revenue bond ratings. Although they don't discuss the coal plant, they have given a negative outlook because of our lack of diversity of energy sources. We really need that coal plant as we are about to have the highest electric bills in the state of Florida.

http://newyork.dbusinessnews.com/shownews....&type_news=past

"Tallahassee's Negative Rating Outlook primarily takes into account Fitch's concern with the electric systems' lack of fuel diversity and above average retail rates. The city's owned generation assets are almost exclusively natural gas-fired. The reliance on a single fuel is a risk. Currently elevated natural gas prices are expected to result in upward clearing prices in the Florida wholesale power market, as gas prices have yet to return to pre-Hurricane Katrina levels. However, most of the comparable municipal and investor owned utilities in the Southeast region benefit from a more diverse resource mix than Tallahassee, and therefore have operating costs that are somewhat less directly correlated to changes in the price of a specific fuel.

Of note, the city made it through Hurricane Katrina without serious service disruption. But, the utility is expected to initiate electric base rate increases in April 2006 and April 2008, following the 14% fuel adjustment that became effective Oct. 1, 2005. Indicative of the electric system's sensitivity to natural gas prices, the utility estimates, based on the utility's 2005 system average heat rate (and purchase power mix), that a $1.00 increase in natural gas prices translates to a $6.9 per 1,000 KWh effect on the city's retail rates. As such, sustained gas prices in the $10-$11/mmbtu range would translate into residential retail rates of approximately $132 per 1,000 KWh, which could place their rates at the significant upper end of utilities in Florida. "

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Florida Megalopolis

Florida

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If I vote yes.... I'm going to do it with fingers on my nose. I just think the idea of not having more information is disturbing... when I've learned so much about alternative fuel sources in school. But I love my city... so this will be a tough decision... my ballot is still unchecked.

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stjoe Hamlet

stjoe

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If I vote yes.... I'm going to do it with fingers on my nose. I just think the idea of not having more information is disturbing... when I've learned so much about alternative fuel sources in school. But I love my city... so this will be a tough decision... my ballot is still unchecked.

I did the same thing.....I voted YES for Coal....but I would of preferred to vote for the only true alternative right now....NUCLEAR. But the folks attacking coal killed NUCLEAR with slogans and rhetoric instead of true scientific, logical debate.

But the individual above who stated Tally is in a BAD situation if it doesn't diversify it's energy options is 100% correct. Bad things will happen to Tally if it doesn't vote yes on this coal situation.

I say compromise and do what Austin has done. Vote for coal and then continue to look to diversify and towards more enironmentally friendly ways. IF they turn out to be feasible you can gradually wean yourself off of the coal and nuclear. But simply trying to turn of the electricity cold turkey is just not realistic.....

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TD Burg

TD

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I did the same thing.....I voted YES for Coal....but I would of preferred to vote for the only true alternative right now....NUCLEAR. But the folks attacking coal killed NUCLEAR with slogans and rhetoric instead of true scientific, logical debate.

But the individual above who stated Tally is in a BAD situation if it doesn't diversify it's energy options is 100% correct. Bad things will happen to Tally if it doesn't vote yes on this coal situation.

I say compromise and do what Austin has done. Vote for coal and then continue to look to diversify and towards more enironmentally friendly ways. IF they turn out to be feasible you can gradually wean yourself off of the coal and nuclear. But simply trying to turn of the electricity cold turkey is just not realistic.....

vote no coal sucks

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jpl02 Hamlet

jpl02

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I did the same thing.....I voted YES for Coal....but I would of preferred to vote for the only true alternative right now....NUCLEAR. But the folks attacking coal killed NUCLEAR with slogans and rhetoric instead of true scientific, logical debate.

But the individual above who stated Tally is in a BAD situation if it doesn't diversify it's energy options is 100% correct. Bad things will happen to Tally if it doesn't vote yes on this coal situation.

I say compromise and do what Austin has done. Vote for coal and then continue to look to diversify and towards more enironmentally friendly ways. IF they turn out to be feasible you can gradually wean yourself off of the coal and nuclear. But simply trying to turn of the electricity cold turkey is just not realistic.....

I wholeheartedly agree!

I hate coal. It's nasty (or so we're inclined to believe), but natural gas is our main source of power, and the cost is ridiculous. Natural gas pollutes too, guys. I think coal is a viable interim solution while other options are devised. Once again, a classic case of "I want this, but I don't want to pay for it". If you want your electric bill to go down, we need another power option.

10, 20 years down the road, Tallahassee may not even want to be involved, for whatever reasons, and pull out. We're not bonded to this coal plant in chains.

As TJ said mentioned before, "The Federal Government plans to use Taylor County as a bombing range also... should Tallahassee somehow purchase a share in that too? Just a question I'd throw at the city for basically saying its going to be built wether we like it or not." Well, Tallahassee wants a share in the power plant because it will be serving a useful purpose. It doesn't mean we have to purchase a share in a bombing range, that's ludicrous and serves no purpose or benefit for us. Undeniably, there are politics, but the bottom line is..........Tally is interested in getting involved because it needs a new power source. Let's look at it for what its worth.

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Florida Megalopolis

Florida

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You both have valid points. My concern with this whole thing was how it was presented to us. Initially it sounded as if the city wanted to partner in order to provide better electric services to this community at a lower cost. Then it started to take on this different slant,, "they're building it, so we might as well join". I think it was that slant that turned me off to the idea. I was all for the idea of clean coal technology... I'm not much concerned about the health problems, its just the cost of this alternative when for a little more in a similar partnership we could be splitting a Nuclear Plant as St Joe advocates and I also support. And the fact that they have failed to make clear to us that they've looked at other avenues... Like I said, I'll be dropping off my ballot with clips over my nose, because it stinks to have one alternative... its liking having one bad politician on the ballot and a box for "other".

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stjoe Hamlet

stjoe

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You both have valid points. My concern with this whole thing was how it was presented to us. Initially it sounded as if the city wanted to partner in order to provide better electric services to this community at a lower cost. Then it started to take on this different slant,, "they're building it, so we might as well join". I think it was that slant that turned me off to the idea. I was all for the idea of clean coal technology... I'm not much concerned about the health problems, its just the cost of this alternative when for a little more in a similar partnership we could be splitting a Nuclear Plant as St Joe advocates and I also support. And the fact that they have failed to make clear to us that they've looked at other avenues... Like I said, I'll be dropping off my ballot with clips over my nose, because it stinks to have one alternative... its liking having one bad politician on the ballot and a box for "other".

It is not easy to sell any energy alternative in an area heavy with environmental groups. They simply will fight all realistic alternatives with a ton of money, etc. The COT (which as you know I don't often defend) has the impossible job of telling it citizens in a nice way "vote for this or expect your utility bill to be $1000 a month in about 10 years"....oh and please don't fire me.

It is like the episode of the Simpsons...Home promises everyone the world ("we will wash your care for free"..."nobody has to take out there garbage or mow their lawn") and they all vote for him because the can't stand the reality of the situation.

The reality for the COT is a coal plant IS going in Taylor county, the COT has NO diversity with it's energy sources, our utilities bills are going up faster than the rate of inflation, etc.

We have natural gas, get coal, and maybe in the future we can find a better alternative without wrecking the economy of the COT in the meantime.

Side note: I swear I read that Tally used to have a share of Crystal River Nuclear plant....I hope to god we were not dumb enough to give that up some time in the past....if we did...BAD MOVE!

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Florida Megalopolis

Florida

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City says "yes" to coal

Tallahassee voters have given city officials the OK to participate in a coal-fired power plant proposed for Taylor County.

Final but unofficials returns showed 19,997 "yes" votes and 13,391 "no" votes.

http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/tallahassee...al/13195625.htm

Graphic.jpg

My heart said no, but my brain said yes.

:thumbsup:

Tallahassee you did the right thing... but don't stop here.

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