The US Department of Energy (DOE) has issued an emergency order to keep open the 490 MW unit-1 of the coal-fired Grand River Energy Center (GREC), which was planned for shut-down under the Environmental Protection Agency Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS), in order to secure the US electric reliability.
The GREC facilities are located in Chouteau, Oklahoma, and are owned by Oklahoma’s state-owned electric utility Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA). The plant includes a 490 MW coal-fired Unit 1 and the 520 MW coal-fired Unit 2. The first unit was slated for retirement in April 2017, since GRDA was not able to comply with the MATS; however, the company petitioned the DOE for an emergency order, which was issued under the Federal Power Act Section 202 and will enable the GREC to run until new units are brought online.
A 495 MW natural gas combined cycle unit is currently under construction on the site and is expected for July 2017.