Plant Scherer consists of four units, each with a rated capacity of 945 megawatts, but producing 880 MW. The first unit was brought online in 1982. Additional units were brought online in 1984, 1987, and 1989, respectively. It has two chimneys, the first built in 1982 and the second in 1986. Based on data as of 2018, Plant Scherer is the fourth-largest electric generating plant in the United States, the largest to be fueled exclusively by coal, and the #1 emitter of Greenhouse Gas emissions in the U.S., at over 20 million tons per year. The plant's location is along the flight path of many commercial airline flights originating from or terminating at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Atlanta, and is a prominent feature on the landscape, easily visible during daylight flights. It was announced in June 2020 that Scherer will shut down Unit 4 by 2022 under an agreement reached by Florida Power & Light and Jacksonville Electric Authority.
The coal used at the Scherer plant comes from Wyoming's Powder River Basin, and is delivered by Norfolk Southern to the plant by BNSF unit trains of up to 135 cars. Currently, at least two and as many as five trains a day are unloaded at Plant Scherer. The trains use an air-dump system and are unloaded from the bottom of the cars while passing over the unloading trestle. They do not stop while unloading, and are usually unloaded in around 90 minutes. Train ID numbers are usually NS 732-739. Trains get on Memphis District via BNSF and on Atlanta District in Chattanooga.
Emissions
As of August 2012, Plant Scherer is under Georgia EPD investigation for coal ash pond leeching / drinking water contamination and air pollution / air quality. According to Natural History magazine, Plant Scherer is the largest single point-source for carbon dioxide emissions in the United States. It was also ranked the 20th in the world in terms of carbon dioxide emissions by the Center for Global Development on its list of global power plants in November 2007. It was the only power plant in the United States that was listed in the world's top 25 Carbon Dioxide producers.
Regulatory Policies and Institutions
Since 2009 Lisa Jackson, Director of the Environmental Protection Agency proposed controversial rules and regulations which include the Utility Maximum Achievable Control Technology rule and the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule. Under CSAPR, non-complying plants like Scherer had only less than six months to implement required changes. In 2011 Southern Company awarded KBR the contract for the installation of Plant Scherer's environmental compliance equipment, which included installation of flue-gas desulfurization and selective catalytic reduction equipment, related ductwork, and auxiliaries at two coal-fired units. As of 2010, KBR, Haliburton and other contractors constructed two additional high smoke stacks.
