15A NCAC 02D .0536. PARTICULATE EMISSIONS FROM ELECTRIC UTILITY BOILERS

(a)  The purpose of this Rule is to establish particulate and visible emission limits for the listed units by utilizing control technology to protect the public health and welfare of the State and its citizens.

(b)  Notwithstanding Rule .0503 of this Section, emissions of particulate matter from the utility boiler units specified in the following table shall not exceed the maximum emission rate in the table as measured by a stack test conducted in accordance with Section .2600 of this Subchapter.  The results of any stack test shall be reported within 30 days, and the test report shall be submitted within 60 days after the test. In addition to limitations contained in Rule .0521 of this Section, visible emissions from the utility boiler units specified in the table shall not exceed the annual average opacity limits in the table. Each day an annual average opacity value shall be calculated for each unit for the most recent 365-day period ending with the end of the previous day.  The average is the sum of the measured non-overlapping six-minute averages of opacity determined only while the unit is in operation divided by the number of such measured non-overlapping six-minute averages.  Start-up, shut-down, and non-operating time shall not be included in the annual average opacity calculation, but malfunction time shall be included, Rule .0535 of this Section notwithstanding.  The Director may approve an alternate method of calculating the annual average opacity if:

(1)           the alternate method is submitted by the electric utility company,

(2)           the director concludes that the alternate method will not cause a systematic or unacceptable difference in calculated values from the specified method, and

(3)           it is mutually agreed that the values calculated using the alternate method can be used for enforcement purposes.

The owner or operator of each unit shall submit a report to the Director by the 30th day following the end of each month. This report shall show for each day of the previous month the calculated annual average opacity of each unit and the annual average opacity limit. If a violation occurs, the owner or operator of the unit shall immediately notify the Director.

 

Facility	Boiler/Unit	Maximum Emission Rate (Lb/Million Btu of Heat Input)	Annual Average Opacity Limit (Percent)
Duke Power Comp.
Allen	1	0.25	20
	2	0.25	20
	3	0.25	13
	4	0.25	14
	5	0.25	17
Belews Creek	1	0.15	17
	2	0.15	17
Buck	5	0.15	10
	6	0.15	10
	7	0.15	6
	8	0.15	8
	9	0.15	10
Cliffside	1	0.25	8
	2	0.25	12
	3	0.25	8
	4	0.25	8
	5	0.25	16
Dan River	1	0.15	7
	2	0.15	9
	3	0.25	20
Marshall	1	0.20	20
	2	0.20	20
	3	0.18	20
	4	0.18	20
Riverbend	4	0.12	12
	5	0.12	12
	6	0.12	12
	7	0.12	12
Carolina Power & Light Company
Asheville	1	0.12	10
	2	0.12	5
Cape Fear	5	0.20	17
	6	0.20	15
Lee	1	0.25	18
	2	0.13	11
	3	0.25	15
Roxboro	1	0.25	15
	2	0.16	20
	3	0.10	25
Sutton	1	0.11	14
	2	0.11	14
	3	0.11	20
Weatherspoon	1	0.14	8
	2	0.14	10
	3	0.15	23

 

(c)  For the purpose of this Rule, the heat input shall be the total heat content of all fuels burned in the unit during the period of time for which the compliance determination is being made.

(d)  Stack tests shall be conducted in accordance with Section .2600 of this Subchapter, and six-minute average opacity readings shall be recorded during the tests. If a stack test and opacity data are acceptable to the Director, the results shall be used by the owner or operator to update and refine the mass-opacity curve for that unit at least annually or when otherwise requested by the Director. The owner or operator of a unit shall notify the Director whenever an alteration in the equipment, method of operation, fuel, or other factors, may cause a systematic change in the mass-opacity curve expected to last more than one month.

(e)  The owner or operator of units listed in Paragraph (b) of this Rule shall produce each year for each unit at least one stack test conducted in accordance Section .2600 of this Subchapter, the results of which are submitted to and accepted by the Director and which demonstrate achievement of the maximum emission rate for that unit.

(f)  Whenever a stack test shows emissions of particulate matter exceeding the maximum emission rate listed in Paragraph (b) of this Rule, all necessary steps shall be taken to ensure that the emissions of particulate matter do not continue to exceed the maximum emission rate and a retest shall be conducted before the 45th operating day following the day the excess was measured.

(g)  Opacity shall be measured using an opacity monitoring system that meets the performance specifications of Appendix B of 40 CFR Part 60. The opacity monitoring system shall be subjected to a quality assurance program in accordance with Rule .0613 of this Section approved by the Director. The owner or operator of each unit subject to this Rule shall have on file with the Director an approved quality assurance program, and shall submit to the Director within the time period of his request for his approval a revised quality assurance program, including procedures and frequencies for calibration, standards traceability, operational checks, maintenance, auditing, data validation, and a schedule for implementing the quality assurance program.

(h)  The owner or operator of each unit subject to this Rule shall have on file with the Director an approved malfunction abatement plan, and shall submit to the Director within the time period of his request for his approval a revised malfunction abatement plan, in accordance with Rule .0535 (d) and (e) of this Section. The owner or operator shall submit each month for each malfunction and other equipment failures that occurred at each unit during the preceding month a report that meets the requirements of Rule .0535 (f)(3) of this Section.

 

History Note:        Authority G.S. 143-215.3(a)(1); 143-215.107(a)(5);

Eff. March 1, 1983;

Amended Eff. June 1, 2008; April 1, 2001; August 1, 1991; August 1, 1987; February 1, 1986.