Dubious Distinction

Out of 10,435 Plants, FPP Named 14th ‘Dirtiest’ in Nation According to Recent Report

A recent report ranked the Fayette Power Project (FPP) as the 14th dirtiest power plant in the nation based on carbon dioxide emissions.

The report by Matt Hope of Find Energy LLC was based on 2020 data released by the United States Energy Information Administration. The report said FPP, a 1,615 megawatt facility, generated 8,760,283 megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity in 2020 while emitting nine billion kilograms of CO2. That amounts to 1030.8 kg of CO2 for every MWh of electricity produced by the plant.

According to the report, the coal-powered FPP ranked among the one percent of 10,435 power plants in the U.S. that generated 42 percent of the CO2 emissions from electricity production.

“If the 100 dirtiest plants were their own country, they would be the eighth largest polluting country in the world,” Hope said. “The 100 dirtiest plants have annual CO2 emissions equivalent to over 140,000,000 passengers vehicles combined.”

FPP is jointly owned by the Lower Colorado River Authority (63.75 percent) and Austin Energy (36.25 percent). LCRA operates the plant, located on SH 71 between La Grange and Ellinger. Two of the coal-fired units at FPP were built in 1979 and 1980. The third unit was completed in 1988. The plant underwent extensive environmental upgrades 10 years ago.

“The Fayette Power Project meets all applicable environmental state and federal rules and regulations,” LCRA said in a statement to the Record on Tuesday. “Throughout the lifespan of FPP, LCRA and the City of Austin have taken many steps to reduce emissions and minimize potential impacts to the environment.”

LCRA said it plans to continue to operate the plant “as long as it continues to be a reliable, cost-effective source of power.” LCRA said it has no plans to convert the plant to another fuel source such as natural gas.

Austin Energy, the City of Austin’s electric utility, announced a plan in March 2020 to cease operation of its portion of FPP by the end of this year. The plan is part of the City’s overall effort to reduce carbon emissions. However, on Nov. 1, 2021, Austin Energy issued a press release saying negotiations with LCRA had stalled.

“Austin Energy is unable to take such action unilaterally because FPP is jointly owned by Austin Energy and LCRA,” the press release stated. “The terms of the joint ownership arrangement with LCRA are set forth in a Participation Agreement that does not provide a clear path to unilateral shutdown for any of the units at FPP. No agreement has been reached to retire any of FPP’s generating units at this time.”

Austin Energy said it will continue negotiations with LCRA to retire its share of plant “while maintaining reliability and affordability for its customers.”