Less Smog in Holtsville

Tired of seeing excess smog near Holtsville's Nation Grid power center? The annoyance won't be completely leaving town, but it will be less visible.

CCJ recently awarded the Holtsville facility a Best Practice Award for a project that helped remove NOx – the main ingredient in smog – from the plant's emissions.

"This project is another step in National Grid and LIPA's continuing efforts to achieve cost effective and meaningful emission reductions," said Bob Teetz, Vice President of Environmental Services, in a statement. "National Grid is committed to the environment and this project contributes to our vision of protecting and preserving the environment for future generations." 

They were using a Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT) for NOx through a system-wide average from both its base-load steam units and peaking combustion turbines, according to the Combined Cycle Journal (CCJ), a power plant publication.

A design including new filters that inject water into fuel to lower the combustion temperature was implemented.

"The equipment installation required the construction of a new building with foundation and new electric power supply," according to CCJ.

Third-party testing found that NOx emissions were down 50-60 percent.

"These units can now operate in compliance with NOx RACT without the need for credits," CCJ reported. "The HP water injection system proved its reliability and availability."

National Grid installed the new technology on five of 10 units and plans on installing it on the others soon. National Grid engineers Matt Gaskin and Pete Grzybowski accepted the Best Practice award on behalf of National Grid by the Journal for their efforts in designing and implementing the joint project between National Grid and LIPA.