Unwelcome news for the US caustic calcined magnesia (CCM) market comes with the announcement by Exelon Power that it is to permanently retire coal-fired units at two of its plants in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania which, uniquely for the USA, consume a significant volume of CCM in their flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) scrubber units.
Effective 31 May 2011, Exelon will retire Units 1 (144 MW, coal-fired) and 2 (201 MW, natural gas/fuel oil) at Cromby Generating Station, and Units 1 (279 MW, coal) and 2 (309 MW, coal) at Eddystone Generating Station.
The actions will result in the closure of Cromby, while two 380 MW units (natural gas/oil) and four 60 MW (oil) will be “available for operation” at Eddystone.