Overview
[lightbox link=”http://www.onondaganation.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/trigen1.jpg” thumb=”http://www.onondaganation.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/trigen1-285×300.jpg” width=”285″ align=”right” title=”trigen energy” frame=”true” icon=”image”]Trigen Energy Corporation develops, operates and owns community energy systems and co-generation facilities — at 51 energy plants at 36 locations in the United States and Canada. Suez Lyonnaise Des Eaux acquired the company in 2000. Thermal energy accounted for 78% of 1999 revenues; electric energy, 16% and fees earned and other, 6%.
Trigen in Syracuse
Trigen-Syracuse Energy Corporation is located the town of Geddes — very near the shores of Onondaga Lake. The plant has five coal fired boilers, two of which have been modified to burn a paper/plastic mix for supplemental fuel. Even though the facility is one of Central New York’s largest air polluters, one that produced 600,000 pounds of toxic hydrochloric acid gas in 2003 — a main factor in acid rain — US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that none of the boilers are subject to the Acid Rain Program under the Clean Air Act.
[lightbox link=”http://www.onondaganation.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/trigen2.jpg” thumb=”http://www.onondaganation.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/trigen2-300×237.jpg” width=”300″ align=”right” title=”trigen energy syracuse” frame=”true” icon=”image”]Each boiler generates steam used first for the production of electricity, then for the production of sodium sulfite, cardboard, kraft paper (a thick, brown paper not unlike paper used to make paper bags), and heating the building. All five boilers were made in either the 1940s or 1960s, but Trigen-Syracuse did not start producing electricity for sale until 1991. Currently, Trigen-Syracuse sells its power primarily through the New York Independent System Operator.
[blockquote quote=”Central New York’s largest air polluter is allowed to pump out unlimited amounts of hazardous air pollution, taking advantage of a loophole for power plants.” source=”Syracuse Post Standard 9/26/03 referring to the emissions of the poisonous chemical, hydrochloric acid by Trigen-Syracuse Energy Corporation.”]