Backup electric generation rules may prove costly

TRENTON, MO — The Board of Public Works of Trenton Municipal Utilities is focusing on RICE Rules for generators from the Environmental Protection Agency. RICE stands for  reciprocating internal combustion engines and refers to stationary diesel engines such as the ones owned by the utility to provide backup electricity generation. New rules on emissions by the EPA could cause the utility to retrofit the existing generators to be in compliance. Total cost of the work could be approximately $750,000, with $500,000 needed on the generators at the north substation and $250,000 on the generators at the south substation. TMU Director Chad Davis provided board members with a three-page memo outlining all the consequences and options involved in meeting the new regulations. He noted there is a part of the draft rule which allows the units to be operated for 50 hours per year without the addition of emission controls, but it is unknown if that part will be in the final rule when it is issued. He noted TMU has normally only run their units for only 25 to 30 hours per year.