SURVEY OF WESTERN SO2 REGULATIONS AND COAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS.

The present SO//2 emission regulations which apply to steam-electric generating stations in several of the western states and surveys existing and planned wet scrubbing installations in these states. In order to comply with current State and Federal SO//2 emission regulations by the end of this decade, it may be necessary to install wet SO//2 scrubbing systems on western coal-fired steam electric generating stations that produce about 14,000 megawatts (MW) of electric power. Full-scale scrubbers currently built, or under construction, exhibit a wide diversity in design which is characteristic of an emerging technology. The water quality and waste disposal problems associated with scrubber operation may, in some cases, limit the degree of overall environmental improvement which can be obtained by the use of scrubbers.