Arizona air regulators slap Solana solar facility with $1.5M fine

Dive Brief:

Arizona Solar One LLC will pay a $1.5 million fine to settle allegations it violated emissions rules at the Solana Generating Station it operates in Gila Bend, including removal of emissions control systems without approval, and exceeding permitted emissions limits, The Arizona Republic reports.
The facility generates power for Arizona Public Service and has been operational for three years.
The Maricopa County Air Quality Department (MCAQD), which announced the fine, said it is the largest in the department's history. The agreement also includes millions to be spent on plant upgrades and fixes.

Dive Insight:

MCAQD officials say they are pleased with the settlement, which will help ensure renewable energy complies with clean air regulations. A spokesman for the department, Bob Huhn, told KJZZ.org that it was the largest fine ever levied by the regulators.

“This settlement and the associated fine reflect the significance of their air pollution violations,” Maricopa County Air Quality Department Director Philip McNeely said in a statement.

MCAQD noted that from June 2014 to January 2016, the department cited Arizona Solar One LLC for 21 violations including: a failure to conduct performance tests as required by their permit; removal of emissions control systems without approval; and exceeding permitted emissions limits. According to documents obtained by the Arizona Republic, equipment used to control nitrogen oxides from being released into the atmosphere was damaged in November 2014, with the plant failing to complete a required test to show it was still functioning.

Settlement funds will be used by MCAQD to fund research projects related to air quality and community outreach, the department said.

According to Abengoa, which constructed and owns the project, Solana is the largest parabolic trough plant in the world, with a capacity of 280 MW and six hours of thermal storage. Abengoa Solar received a $1.45 billion federal loan guarantee from the U.S. Department of Energy which allowed the company to move forward with construction.