ALLETE project to reduce emissions

The region’s largest electric generating unit will undergo a major environmental retrofit to reduce emissions.

Boswell Unit 4 in Cohasset, Minn., will reduce mercury, particulate and sulfur dioxide emissions.

Al Hodnik, ALLETE chairman, president and chief executive officer, made the announcement during ALLETE’s annual shareholder meeting.

“This capstone event of our six-year environmental control effort will transform Boswell 4, the workhorse of our generation fleet, so it continues to provide reliable, safe and affordable electric power to our customers,” Hodnik said.

Boswell Unit 4 is capable of producing 585 megawatts of electricity. Minnesota Power owns 80 percent of Boswell 4 with the balance owned by WPPI Energy. Minnesota Power’s portion of the project is estimated to be $350 million to 400 million over the next several years. WPPI Energy will pay the cost of its share of the project. Multi-emission reduction project plans and permit applications will be filed with federal and state regulators next month.

With requirements for a 90 percent mercury reduction on Boswell Unit 4 by 2018 already in state statute, Minnesota Power has been analyzing a Unit 4 retrofit as pending Environmental Protection Agency regulations affecting coal units across the nation are finalized.

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