By The Associated Press
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Valley Authority expects to spend as much as $1 billion to reduce harmful emissions from a coal-fired power plant by up to 95 percent.
According to The Tennessean, the work at the Gallatin Fossil Plant, northeast of Nashville, is projected to be completed by 2017. Four large scrubbers are planned at the plant, which burns 13,000 tons of coal per day and generates enough electricity to power 300,000 homes.
Some environmental groups, however, say TVA should instead invest in energy efficiency, saving enough power to shut down the plant.
In an agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency, TVA will invest between $3 billion and $5 billion across its seven-state system to add pollution controls at coal-fired plants and will retire 18 coal-fired units in Tennessee and Alabama.