McNeil Generating Station

Slow Living ConferenceJune 3, 2011John M. Irving, P.E. Burlington Electric Department

Economic Benefits• Since startup in 1984, McNeil Station has contributed the following to

Vermont through August 2010:• Payroll $ 52,540,000• Property Taxes $ 24,880,000• Sales Taxes $ 930,000• Rail Transportation $ 34,420,000• Local Contractors $ 6,489,000• Wood Fuel Purchases $155,092,000• Total $ 274,351,000

• This does not include the $67,000,000 to build the McNeil Station much of which was spent locally

• McNeil has provided 5,079,359 MWH of power since construction. The majority of this power would have been produced from fossil fuels. This energy would require 400 million gallons of fuel oil to produce

Employment Benefits

• Powerplant Jobs 36• Home Office Support Jobs 4• Forest Management Jobs 4• Harvesting Processing and Transport 77• Support Services 11• Train Transportation 5

Total 130

Wastewood Disposal Benefits

• Local Residents bring 2,000-3,000 tons/year of yard trimmings

• Local Businesses bring 3,000-4,000 tons/year of clean shipping pallets

• Clean energy usage eliminates $85/ton land-filling costs and creates power for 5,000 homes

Electrical Reliability Benefits

• Burlington lights stayed on in Great Northeast Blackout!

• Burlington lights stayed on in 1998 Ice Storm!

• Vermont unaffected with loss of 250 MW transmission line from New York in 2000!

• Provides power price stability in spite of fluctuating market costs!

New Technology

• Biomass Gasification allows more efficient energy from biomass

• Expanded Fuel Potential• Still in development stage• Used as basis of technical

requirements for Massachusetts RPS for biomass

NOx Removal System

• Reduces NOx emissions by 50%+

• Allows McNeil to qualify for RECs

• 1.5 year payback

• 93% voter favorability in bond vote!

Waste Heat Utilization

District Heating

District Heating in Burlington

Challenges at McNeil• Competing with other wood fueled plants that

have enjoyed generous PURPA rates while McNeil pays 25% more for fuel because of harvesting notification and rail requirements

• Matching widely variable fuel demand with supply

• Lack of Consistency with energy and REC pricing • Irrational and unattainable RPS eligibility

requirements (60% efficiency for biomass plants in Massachusetts)

•