Edwardsport Power Station is a 618 MW

Integrated gasification combined cycle integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) is a technology using a high pressure gasifier to turn coal and other carbon based fuels into pressurized synthesis gas. This enables removal of impurities from the fuel prior to generating electrici ...

(IGCC) coal based power plant in Vigo Township, Knox County, near the town of

Edwardsport, Indiana Edwardsport is a town in Vigo Township, Knox County, Indiana, United States. The population was 286 at the 2020 census. It was founded in 1832 and named after Edward Wilkins, a founding father. History Alfred Simonson House was added to the N ...

. The integrated

gasification Gasification is a process that converts biomass- or fossil fuel-based carbonaceous materials into gases, including as the largest fractions: nitrogen (N2), carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen (H2), and carbon dioxide (). This is achieved by reacting ...

combined cycle A combined cycle power plant is an assembly of heat engines that work in tandem from the same source of heat, converting it into mechanical energy. On land, when used to make electricity the most common type is called a combined cycle gas turb ...

power plant (Edwardsport IGCC) construction started in June 2008 by

Duke Energy Duke Energy Corporation is an American electric power and natural gas holding company headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. The company ranked as the 141st largest company in the United States in 2024 – its highest-ever placement on the ...

near the site of an older 160 MW

coal Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock, formed as rock strata called coal seams. Coal is mostly carbon with variable amounts of other Chemical element, elements, chiefly hydrogen, sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen. Coal i ...

-fired electrical power plant, which was decommissioned in 2010. Edwardsport IGCC began commercial operations in June 2013.

Older units

First development was in 1918, followed by Units 2, 3 and 4, rated at 42.5, 42.5 and 75 MW respectively, were placed into service in 1944, 1949 and 1951. The smaller, older units were retired when the new 618-MW plant came online. The old Edwardsport plant was officially taken offline in late 2011, and deconstruction began in mid-2010. The old Edwardsport plant was demolished in late October 2012.

IGCC units

In 2007, Duke Energy Indiana began construction of a 618 megawatt (MW) integrated gasification combined cycle power plant (IGCC). This plant was to be the first of its kind of its size. The

process makes coal react with pure oxygen and steam to produce synthetic gas, or syngas. Syngas burns cleaner than burning directly the coal and stripping the pollutants out of the exhaust gas. And syngas may be used to fire a combustion turbine. The combustion turbine exhaust gases are then routed through a large

heat recovery steam generator A heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) is a heat exchanger that recovers heat from a hot gas stream, such as a combustion turbine or other waste gas stream. It produces steam that can be used in a process (cogeneration) or used to drive a steam ...

that is used in conjunction with a

steam turbine A steam turbine or steam turbine engine is a machine or heat engine that extracts thermal energy from pressurized steam and uses it to do mechanical work utilising a rotating output shaft. Its modern manifestation was invented by Sir Charles Par ...

to further increase the plant's efficiency. The new plant is slated to be a base-load station. The construction of the plant has reserved the necessary space required for

carbon capture and storage Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a process by which carbon dioxide (CO2) from industrial installations is separated before it is released into the atmosphere, then transported to a long-term storage location.IPCC, 2021Annex VII: Glossary at ...

if Duke Energy decides to add this component to the plant at a later date. However, when the plant was originally planned, it was thought the site was ready for carbon injection. After conducting further research, it was determined that the site is actually not geologically suitable for underground storage of carbon. Instead, Duke Energy Indiana would need to seek approval to construct a pipeline to transport carbon to a more suitable site. Edwardsport's pollution per unit of energy produced will be greatly reduced, as

particulate matter Particulate matter (PM) or particulates are microscopic particles of solid or liquid matter suspended in the air. An ''aerosol'' is a mixture of particulates and air, as opposed to the particulate matter alone, though it is sometimes defin ...

and mercury will be removed from the

syngas Syngas, or synthesis gas, is a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide in various ratios. The gas often contains some carbon dioxide and methane. It is principally used for producing ammonia or methanol. Syngas is combustible and can be used as ...

. The coal-derived synthetic gas is much cleaner than conventional coal combustion to begin with, and it is easier to clean to greater extent. Coal gasification allows

carbon capture Carbon capture may refer to: * Carbon capture and storage Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a process by which carbon dioxide (CO2) from industrial installations is separated before it is released into the atmosphere, then transported to a l ...

to occur before the fuel is combusted — a much easier and economically feasible operation than carbon capture of exhaust gases.

Technology

The power plant has two trains of

General Electric General Electric Company (GE) was an American Multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in 1892, incorporated in the New York (state), state of New York and headquartered in Boston. Over the year ...

radiant quench gasification equipment. Each train fuels a General Electric 7FB 236 MW combustion turbine. Following each GE turbine is a Doosan two pressure

Heat recovery steam generator A heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) is a heat exchanger that recovers heat from a hot gas stream, such as a combustion turbine or other waste gas stream. It produces steam that can be used in a process (cogeneration) or used to drive a steam ...

(HRSG). Both HRSG recovered steam powers a single General Electric G13 326 MW four flow, reheat steam turbine. The plant is so defined as a 2 x 1 Combined Cycle. Gross power is 800 MW, but the syngas process consumes much energy, leaving only 618 MW net power to the grid. To save water, cooling is helped by a 20 cell mechanical draft cooling tower.

Cost overruns and controversy

The construction of the Edwardsport IGCC has been clouded in controversy and legal troubles for both Duke Energy Indiana and the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission. Thus far, the legal issues have resulted in the resignation of the second highest ranked executive for Duke Energy, the dismissal of the Chairman of the IURC, David Lott Hardy, and Hardy's subsequent indictment for three felony counts of official misconduct in cases concerning Duke Energy, although the charges were dismissed on 12 August 2013.

Production

References

External links

Edwardsport production data
from EIA {{Duke Energy Indiana Energy infrastructure completed in 1944 Energy infrastructure completed in 1945 Energy infrastructure completed in 1951 Coal-fired power stations in Indiana Southwestern Indiana Buildings and structures in Knox County, Indiana Duke Energy 1944 establishments in Indiana