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About the "Sherco"
Generating Facility |
Sherco Generating Facility
The "Sherco" electric generating facility is operated
by Xcel Energy (formerly Northern States Power NSP).The
facility currently has three boilers. You can clearly
see the 3 boiler houses in the picture at the right. The
site plan is prepared for the possible addition of a
fourth unit.
Xcel owns units 1&2 and has majority
ownership in Unit #3. The Southern Municipal Power
Agency owns 41% of Unit 3. |
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Units #1 and 2 were completed in the late
seventies and share a common smoke stack. The stack
incorporates a "wet scrubber" that uses water to remove
pollution from the smoke generated by the burning coal.
Most of the 'smoke' visible from the stacks is water
vapor. Because units #1 and 2 have a wet scrubber,
"smoke" is always visible from their stack.
The largest unit, #3, was built in the
late 80's and incorporates a "dry scrubber". Most days,
you will not see anything coming out of the unit #3
stack. |
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The amount of "smoke" from the two 650'
stacks
depends upon climatic conditions. That is because the
smoke is primarily water vapor (steam). The visibility
of it depends on how well the air holds the vapor and
how much of it condenses to water mist.
The plant employs around 400 people. It
has a gross generating capacity of 2,400 megawatts (MW).
Unit 1 & 2 can produce 750 MW each. Unit 3 provides
an extra 955 MW of capacity.
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Most of the coal is low-sulfar coal
brought in by train from Montana. The coal comes in box
cars that each contain about 110 tons. The train is
pulled by two locomotives that each have 3,800 HP
engines. Transportation accounts for almost 1/2 of the
cost of the coal.
The coal trains are typically about 100
cars and the plant can burn as much as three coal trains
a day. The coal yard has a machine that turns and dumps
each coal car while it is still connected to the other
cars. One by one, the automated machine dumps every car
of the train.
The burning of coal creates steam
which
pushes it's way through 19 stages of turbine
generators. The generators produce electricity at 24,000
volts. This electricity is then sent to transformers
that boost the electricity to 345,000 volts for
transmission on high voltage power lines. |
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Protecting the environment
Half of the electricity generated in the USA comes
from burning coal. In Minnesota, the fraction is two
thirds.
The Xcel Sherco plant burns nine million
tons of coal each year. Customer demand for electricity
is continualy increasing. At the same time as demands
increase, Xcel is working to reduce emissions to the
environment. The company is currently committed to a
$1,000 million project that will reduce mercury emissions by
more than 90%!!
| Before the
plant was built, many sites around the state
were shouting "Not in our back yards". Becker
worked with the utility to provide a location for the
generating facility. As a result of accepting this heavy
industry, the city has benefited from a great tax base,
getting 90% of it's annual $2.5 million general
fund revenue from the plant. |
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Contact Darin A.
Jensen
WebManager
for additions or corrections
(see main page for
contact info)
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