he U.S. Department of Energy, major E&C firms and electric utilities are building commercial-size power plants to evaluate new technologies and equipment to produce electricity from coal without harmful emissions. These plants are expected to produce operating data which will be used to design many of the power plants required in the twenty-first century.
Coal is an abundant fuel source in North America and the price is not as subject to political and economic changes around the world as most other fuels are. But coal’s toxic elements make it one of the most polluting fuels. The U.S. Department of Energy has supported research programs for a number of years leading to these current projects. They are pioneering better ways to burn coal or to convert it to gas. The processes must be both efficient and clean.
PT&P has been a major supplier to three of these projects: the Southern Company Services plant in Wilsonville, Alabama, the Tampa Electric project in Polk County, Florida, and the Sierra Pacific project in Nevada. PT&P along with its customers are helping to insure a stable energy supply for our nation.
