NRG expansion permit issued

Last Wednesday, the NRG Limestone Electric Generating Station near Jewett received a state permit from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) commissioners for an 800-megawatt expansion to their facility. The Limestone project is part of NRG's $16 billion, 10-year plan to add 10,500 megawatts in electricitygenerating capacity here in Texas.

While everyone agrees that energy is a vital commodity, there are widely varied opinions on that best way to produce that energy. Opponents are concerned about greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired plants, while proponents point to the ever-increasing energy needs of our growing state.

A technical specialist in TCEQ's air permits division stated that NRG agreed to new controls on the existing Limestone County plant which will offset any increase in emissions. The environmental groups plan to ask for a rehearing with the agency.