Whelan Energy Center Unit 2

The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality issued a PSD permit in 2004 to Hastings Utilities, allowing the addition of a 220-megawatt (MW) pulverized coal-fired power plant to Hastings Utilities’ existing Whelan I Energy Center. The Whelan Energy Center is located six miles outside of Hastings, Nebraska and consists of an existing 77 MW coal-fired electric generating unit. The proposed plant will burn coal from the Powder River Basin (PRB). In Oct. 2007, the construction contract was awarded to Babcock & Wilcox; the project is slated to be completed in 2011.

In August 2008, the Sierra Club, represented by attorneys at Plains Justice, sent Hastings' Utilities a 60-day notice of intent to sue. The Club claims that Hastings is in violation of the Clean Air Act (CAA) by building the Whelan II plant without first evaluating technologies to control the emissions of hazardous air pollutants and setting limits for them.

Project Details
Sponsor: Hastings Utilities Location: Hastings, Nebraska Capacity: 220 MW Type: Pulverized coal Projected in service: 2011 Status: Construction

Related SourceWatch Articles

 * Nebraska and coal
 * United States and coal
 * Carbon Capture and Storage
 * Existing U.S. Coal Plants
 * US proposed coal plants (both active and cancelled)
 * Coal plants cancelled in 2007
 * Coal plants cancelled in 2008
 * State-by-state guide to information on coal in the United States (or click on the map)