Navajo Generating Station

Operator: SRP

Location: Navajo Indian Reservation near Page, Ariz.

Participant summary:

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation		24.3%
SRP		21.7%
Los Angeles Dept. of Water and Power		21.2%
Arizona Public Service Co.		14.0%
Nevada Energy		11.3%
Tucson Electric Power		7.5%

Service area: Navajo Generating Station (NGS) serves electric customers in Arizona, Nevada and California. The station also supplies more than 90% of the power needed to pump water through the Central Arizona Project.

Capacity: 2,250 megawatts from three 750-MW units.

Fuel source: Low sulfur bituminous coal from Peabody Western Coal Company's Kayenta Mine (78 miles to the southeast), which is transported via a dedicated electric train.

Plant construction: Construction began in 1969. The first unit began producing electricity in 1974. Commercial operation of the other units began in 1975 and 1976.

Construction costs: $650 million, including $200 million in environmental-control equipment. An additional $420 million was spent on new sulfur dioxide (SO₂) scrubbers in the 1990s, and $45 million in 2009-11 to reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions.

Employment: NGS is a critical source of employment for the Navajo Nation, employing over 520 full-time employees, 85% whom are Navajo.

Air quality and emissions: NGS complies with all federal air quality standards and emission limitations.

Electrostatic precipitators capture 99% of the fly ash, which is recycled for use in concrete, cement and other construction materials. Limestone scrubbers remove over 95% of SO₂ emissions. Low NOx burners and separated overfire air technology reduces NOx emissions by approximately 40%.

Waste management: A successful NGS waste management program focuses on waste minimization. NGS consistently achieves its goal to be a small generator of hazardous waste and, for significant periods of time, meets the more stringent conditionally-exempt small quantity generator status.