Courtesy Photo­Image

Courtesy Photo­Image Workers build scaffolding on April 27 inside a massive burn unit at Gerald Gentleman Station, where coal is converted to electricity.

Courtesy Photo­Image Three of 48 low-NOx burners that are being replaced at the plant.

Courtesy Photo­Image Inspecting the low-pressure turbine on the burn unit.

Courtesy Photo­Image Jon Bruning

Despite a steadily recovering national economy, North Platte railroad workers are worried about layoffs. Shipments of the number one rail commodity – coal – are declining.

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Coal loadings in the Powder River Basin in Wyoming are sharply lower. Most of that coal comes through North Platte's Bailey Yard.

The number of trains loaded in the Powder River Basin fell slightly in February compared to 2011, but just slightly, about 3 percent. But that was a precursor.

The number of coal trains coming from the PRB fell 20 percent in March and April compared to a year ago.

That amounts to nearly 200 fewer unit trains of coal each month, according to Union Pacific’s weekly coal loading reports.

In April 2011, 940 unit coal trains were loaded in the PRB. In April this year, the number was 723.

There are three big reasons for the decline.

• Most of the country had a relatively mild winter, so demand for electricity has diminished, officials say.

• Most coal is used to generate electricity. Also, the utility companies are powering their generators with natural gas if they can, because natural gas is less expensive.

• Tougher environmental standards from the federal government encourages coal plants to look for and find other sources of fuel.

The combination of factors means utility companies have significant stockpiles of coal on hand, Union Pacific spokesman Mark Davis said.

Davis said if the weather turns hot this summer, coal shipments could increase, as demand for electric air conditioning also increases. That is the bright spot on the horizon for Bailey Yard workers.

Plant shut down

Meanwhile, half of Nebraska’s largest generating plant, where some 18,000 tons of coal is normally burnt each day, is shut down for upgrades.

The shutdown will last until June 1, Nebraska Public Power spokeswoman Jeanne Schieffer said.

The second unit of the Gerald Gentleman plant near Sutherland went offline April 20, so workers could clean and repair one of the station’s two gigantic coal ovens.

That routine maintenance turned into a $37.5 million project. To meet Environmental Protection Agency emission standards that were enacted last summer, 48 burners are being replaced. The renovated burners will emit fewer nitrogen oxides, which the EPA says are dangerous.

In addition, workers are replacing the unit’s associated equipment in the boiler; inspecting and repairing the unit’s two low-pressure turbines; and replacing the unit’s control system (the brain of the unit), Schieffer said.

EPA factor

Another new set of EPA standards, called Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, took effect Dec. 22.

It’s a big set of rules.

“We are currently reviewing its 1,147 pages,” NPPD spokesman Mark Becker said at the time.

The Obama administration is widely criticized as being too tough on fossil fuels, even at frequently renovated plants such as Gerald Gentlemen, which emits no visible exhaust from its big stacks even though it provides most of the electricity for the state.

Scheiffer said GGS workers are proud of the cleanliness of the plant, and its contributions to a clean environment.

“The take great pride in operating the state’s largest plant, a well-preserved, clean facility,” Schieffer said.

‘Stay’

Almost routinely, Attorney General Jon Bruning has asked for reviews of the EPA.

In January, Bruning and six Attorneys General in other states obtained a court-ordered stay in the implementation of an EPA Cross-State Air Pollution Rule, which sought to cap Nebraska’s emissions in order to reduce the potential pollution caused by emissions in other states.

That EPA regulation seemed to think Nebraska’s emissions traveled upwind to Wisconsin, Bruning said.

On May 3, Bruning formally requesting the withdrawal of a proposed EPA rule that imposes another requirement on electric plants, regarding sulfur dioxide emissions.

The EPA rule mandates the use of flue gas desulfurization, was proposed after the federal agency rejected a portion of Nebraska’s regional haze state implementation plan in March, Bruning said.

The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality determined no further sulfur dioxide controls are needed at the Gerald Gentlemen.. NDEQ’s study focused on compliance with the Clean Air Act and EPA regulations, Bruning said. .

“This proposed rule is another example of an overreaching EPA acting outside of its authority, seeking to substitute its judgment for that of the state’s,” said Bruning. “We will continue to push back against these federal intrusions while protecting Nebraska’s resources.”

During a recent stop in North Platte, Bruning told the Bulletin “We have clean air out here."

“You could sleep in the shadow of Gerald Gentleman and be just fine,” he said.

Bailey Yard

Such regulations, coupled with a warm winter and cheap natural gas, is having a significant effect on North Platte.

At Bailey Yard, locomotive crews are “turning” over more often -- heading back to work with less rest time -- while furloughed employees wonder if they will ever get to go back to work, an employee told the Bulletin.