South Mississippi Electric Power Association; Finding of No Significant Impact

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service

South Mississippi Electric Power Association; Finding of No

Significant Impact

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Finding of No Significant Impact.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Rural Utilities Service (RUS)

has made a finding of no significant impact (FONSI) with respect to its

action related to an expansion and repowering project by South

Mississippi Electric Power Association (SMEPA) at its existing Moselle

Generating Station. The FONSI is the conclusion of an Environmental

Assessment prepared by RUS. The Environmental Assessment is based on a

environmental analysis submitted to RUS by SMEPA. RUS conducted an

independent evaluation of the environmental analysis and concurs with

its scope and content.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lawrence R. Wolfe, Senior

Environmental Protection Specialist, Engineering and Environmental

Staff, RUS, South Agriculture Building, Ag Box 1569, Washington, DC

20250, telephone (202) 720-1784.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed expansion and repowering

project would be installed at SMEPA's existing Moselle Generating

Station located in Jones County, Mississippi, approximately 2 miles

west of Interstate 59 on Mississippi Highway 589. Currently in

operation at this station are three 59 megawatt (MW) gas/oil fired

steam turbines. The proposed facilities will utilize the existing plant

infrastructure such as the natural gas and oil supply, electric

transmission lines, and water system. SMEPA has optioned to purchase 20

acres contiguous with the north side of the Moselle site to accommodate

the expansion needed for the additional generating facility.

The proposed facility will consist of a simple cycle combustion

turbine and air-cooled generator. The turbine will have a generating

output estimated to be between 80 and 120 megawatts (MW). The FONSI

includes a combined cycle facility also under consideration by SMEPA

which would be designed and constructed at a future date. The combined

cycle facility would have a generating output estimated to be between

80 and 120 MW. This phase of the project would be conducted in

conjunction with the repowering of the existing 59 MW number 3 steam

turbine at the Moselle Generating Station. However, at this time RUS is

only considering taking an action related to the simple cycle

combustion phase of the proposed expansion and repowering which it

considers to be justified by need.

The new simple cycle generation facility would be made up of the

following components: combustion turbine generator, fuel oil forwarding

system, flue gas scrubber, demineralized water monitoring system,

generator step-up transformer, station auxiliary transformer, medium

voltage switchgear auxiliary station supply, secondary unit switchgear,

including low voltage, switchgear, motor control centers, and bus duct.

The facility will be designed to operate using natural gas as the

primary fuel and number 2 fuel oil as the secondary fuel. Natural gas

would be supplied via the existing gas pipeline at the site. Fuel oil

will be shipped to the site by truck and stored on site in storage

tanks.

The future addition of the combined cycle facility would involve

the following components: combustion turbine generator, heat recovery

steam generator, boiler feedwater system, flue gas scrubber,

demineralized water transfer pumps, continuous emissions monitoring

system, generator step-up transformer, station auxiliary transformer,

medium voltage switchgear auxiliary station supply, secondary unit

switchgear including low voltage switchgear, motor control centers, and

bus duct.

The combined cycle facility would utilize many of the existing

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infrastructure systems at the Moselle Generating Station.

A continuous emissions monitoring (CEM) system would be used to

monitor flue gas emissions from both the simple cycle and the combined

cycle facilities. The CEM would measure opacity, nitrogen oxides,

carbon monoxide, oxygen, volatile organic compounds, and sulfur dioxide

for the purpose of ensuring compliance with federal and State of

Mississippi air quality standards.

The alternatives of no action, demand side management, power

purchases, hydroelectric units, wind and solar power, geothermal power,

and alternative site locations were considered.

Copies of the environmental assessment and FONSI are available for

review at, or can be obtained from, RUS at the address provided herein

or from Mr. Joey Ward, South Mississippi Electric Power Association,

P.O. Box 15849, Hattiesburg, Mississippi, telephone (601) 268-2083.

Interested parties wishing to comment on the adequacy of the

Environmental Assessment should do so within 30 days of the publication

of this notice. RUS will take no action that would approve clearing or

construction activities related to this expansion and repowering

project prior to the expiration of the 30-day comment period.

Dated: December 27, 1995.

Blaine D. Stockton, Jr.,

Acting Deputy Administrator Program Operations.

[FR Doc. 96-78 Filed 1-3-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410-15-P