Reductions in the emission of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur dioxide
(SO2) are part of AEP's ongoing strategy to comply with the Clean Air Act, Title
IV regulations, the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) and will assist in compliance
with the Clean Air Mercury Rule (CAMR). Investments to retrofit advanced emission
control technologies onto existing power plants are a central element in AEP's compliance
strategy.
Flue gas desulfurization (FGD) removes SO2 from flue gas streams, while NOx emissions
are mitigated by combustion controls such as low NOx burners (LNBs) and selective
catalytic reduction (SCR) technology. The company plans to invest approximately
$3.9 billion in FGD, SCR and other air pollution control retrofits by 2010 to reduce
emissions of NOx and SO2 significantly. In order to comply with new regulations,
an additional benefit of this investment will be a reduction in mercury emissions.
