Clean Energy Commitment
Delivering reliable, affordable, safe and clean energy to you with a balanced energy mix.
We've prepared a sustainability report to further share our plans and progress towards our sustainable transition. The report highlights green initiatives, demonstrates our commitment to natural resources and our employees while also providing transparency into our corporate governance.
We made a promise to reduce impact, and we kept that promise. And we'll continue our commitment to clean energy in the future too. Here's how:
- Half of the power supplied by Evergy comes from clean sources, creating more reliable energy with less impact to the environment
- We employ 25 environmental experts, including 17 biologists
- We've reduced emissions to ensure our generating facilities are cleaner than regulations require
- We've invested over $1.8 billion to improve air quality since 2005
- Our conservation efforts save over 900 million gallons of water annually
- We partner with environmental groups to improve access to enjoy to our natural resources
These are just a few, key ways we consistently work to reduce our impact and pledge to continue reducing our impact on the environment. We also operate some of the cleanest and most efficient coal-fired plants in the country.
Air quality
We are working to reduce emissions with the best available technology. For example, our Iatan 2 plant emits 1.3 million tons less carbon dioxide annually than the U.S. average for coal plants. And after the completion of retrofits to La Cygne, 72% of our coal fleet will have emission-reducing scrubbers installed. See below for more information about our efforts at specific plants.
- A super-critical steam boiler allows for maximum efficiency, using 10% less fuel and generating 10% lower emissions than typical coal-fired facilities.
- State-of-the-art air quality controls reduce overall emissions. The facility emits 1.3 million tons less carbon dioxide annually than the U.S. average for coal plants.
- A zero liquid discharge unit minimizes wastewater production through evaporation and reuse.
- POWER Magazine named Iatan 2 as the 2011 Plant of the Year, citing the innovation, collaboration and expertise evident on the project.
- When the project is complete, La Cygne will have the best available emission-reducing technology.
- The project includes the installation of two wet scrubbers and a selective catalytic reduction system.
- Once these improvements are complete, 72% of our coal fleet will have emission-reducing scrubbers installed.
- The project took advantage of best-available control technology to dramatically lower air emissions.
- Air quality control equipment included an SCR system for NOx (nitrogen oxide) reduction, dry FGD for SO2 (sulfur dioxide) control and a pulse jet fabric filter for particulate control.
As the proud recipient of the 2014 Edison Award, the electric power industry's most prestigious honor, for engineering and constructing a full-scale wetland to treat wastewater at Jeffrey Energy Center, we rebuilt and upgraded the flue gas desulfurization (FGD) systems on each of the plant's three units, resulting in a 97-percent reduction in sulfur dioxide emissions.
- Recognizing the need to improve the treatment of discharged wastewater from the FGD process, we sought a natural and cost-effective way to ensure the plant's wastewater met our high environmental standards.
- Created expected savings of $40 million over 15 years in capital and operational costs that will also benefit customers.
Lawrence Energy Center (LEC) consists of three operational coal fired electric generating units located in Lawrence, Kansas adjacent to the Kansas River. Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) associated with burning coal include bottom ash, fly ash, and flue gas desulfurization materials (FGD). CCR, along with minor amounts of other miscellaneous waste, are currently placed in an on-site active combustion byproduct landfill located on LEC property. This combustion byproduct landfill is permitted under Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), Bureau of Waste Management (BWM), Permit No. 847.
The Tecumseh Energy Center (TEC), located in Tecumseh, Kansas, consists of two operational coal-fired electric generating units. Coal is used as the primary fuel for TEC. Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) associated with burning coal include bottom ash and fly ash. CCR, along with minor amounts of other miscellaneous waste, are currently placed in an on-site active combustion byproduct landfill located on TEC property. This combustion byproduct landfill is permitted under Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), Bureau of Waste Management (BWM), Permit No. 322.
In addition to the landfill, TEC operates an active surface impoundment for the collection, processing, and subsequent removal of bottom ash. The impoundment is periodically emptied and all permanent storage is at the 322 dry landfill.
