The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved a greenhouse gas (GHG) permit for a turbines unit, olefins unit and low density polyethylene (LDPE) unit at Formosa Plastics' Point Comfort, Texas, complex, the agency announced Aug. 5.
Formosa will add two new gas-fired combined-cycle gas turbines to the existing chemical utility unit. Each turbine will have a capacity to generate 80 megawatts of electrical power. The existing utility plant will consist of the six existing General Electric 7EA gas-fired turbines plus the two new GE 7EA gas-fired turbines with duct burners.The expansion alone will bring over $2 billion in capital investments, create 1800 construction jobs and 225 long-term operations jobs in the local area, according to a press release.“Today is a major milestone in the work EPA has done with businesses and the state of Texas to ensure our economy continues to thrive while promoting cleaner, more efficient energy production and use,” said EPA Regional Administrator Ron Curry. “We share our success with TCEQ [Texas Commission on Environmental Quality] and the joint permitting program our agencies started last year to process business’ applications for permits.”This marks the 50th GHG permit approval in Texas. In that state alone, EPA has received 83 GHG permit applications from businesses since 2011. Texas is No. 1 in the country for receiving EPA-issued GHG permits for projects totaling well over $24 billion and creating over 20,000 construction jobs in the state.Courtesy of Thermal Care
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